Free Movement Weekly Immigration Newsletter #69

Welcome to the weekly Free Movement newsletter!

It has been a busy week and there is a lot I want to mention. First of all, the Legal Aid Agency announced this morning that it has come under cyber attack and the perpetrators have “accessed a large amount of information relating to legal aid applicants”. I am trying to stop thinking about everything they have on our clients as it is quite panic-inducing. Any additional work caused for providers in dealing with the fall out (contacting/reassuring clients etc) should be compensated by the LAA.

Another judicial review has been issued meaning that there are now two challenges to the changes to the good character guidance. Charities in the sector have provided witness evidence. As was the case in the House of Commons, the issue may resurface when the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill moves to the House of Lords, which has second reading scheduled for 2 June.

Foxglove have taken a closer look at the Home Office’s recent report on their use of AI. Completely unsurprisingly, there were a high number of errors and half the caseworkers who tested the AI tool said it gave them incorrect information.

On the blog, it was white paper madness last week. The paper is not very well drafted and contains a lot of ambiguity which is incredibly unfair to those affected, particularly when the media were briefed that the proposed changes to settlement are intended to apply retrospectively – detail missing from the paper itself.

My first post highlighted that the paper had been published and set out in full the recommendations that are summarised at the end of the paper. I then took a more detailed look at the proposals for work and study routes and then family and everything else (since updated with a bit more speculation on refugee family reunion). Other posts looked at what sponsors of skilled workers should do and the impact on the Higher Education sector and international students.

Finally, researchers from the University of Exeter and Public Law Project are currently conducting research on how to improve the regulation of immigration advice to support the delivery of good quality immigration advice and services in England. Those who provide immigration advice and services, either as a regulated legal professional or an adviser accredited by the Immigration Advice Authority (formerly the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner), are invited to participate. The survey is open until Friday 30 May 2025.

For everything else on Free Movement and elsewhere, read on.

Cheers, Sonia

What we’re reading

Opinion: Migrant workers prop up the UK’s social care system. Now we’re being forced out – The Bureau of Investigative Journalism, 12 May

‘My daughter was diagnosed with leukaemia aged 11 – and the NHS tried to charge us £17k for her treatment’ – Independent, 13 May

UK has not asked about asylum return hubs, other Balkan countries say – Sky News, 16 May

‘Devastating’: Why are hundreds of DWP staff at risk of losing their jobs and ability to stay in the UK? – Civil Service World, 15 May

Up to 700,000 migrants do not have UK eVisas, days before deadline – The Guardian, 16 May

UK agrees to fly home wrongly deported Windrush generation man from Jamaica – The Guardian, 16 May

There’s one slight issue with Labour’s immigration plans: they’re completely untethered from reality – The Guardian, 13 May

Immigration rules risk ‘exodus’ of thousands of nurses – Nursing Times, 14 May

Diplomat makes history as first refugee to become a UK high commissioner – The Guardian, 15 May

The UK government must close Wethersfield camp – Doctors of the World, 13 May

Nurse lecturer cuts ‘explode’ as domestic workforce plans put at risk, new report shows – Royal College of Nursing, 15 May

Author denied UK visa unable to attend premiere of play based on his memoir – The Guardian, 15 May