Free Movement Weekly Immigration Newsletter #77

Welcome to the weekly Free Movement newsletter! 

After several months of uncertainty following December’s pause, a written statement will be made today by the Secretary of State for the Home Department on the processing of Syrian protection claims (h/t Jon Featonby).

The big news last week was the announcement of a new agreement between France and the UK. This is a pilot scheme only, providing for people to be brought to the UK from France in exchange for the return to France of those who have crossed the Channel, on a one for one basis. Some have been referring to this as a safe route, I am personally not convinced about referring to it as that, given the scheme is entirely dependent on another person making an incredibly unsafe journey. 

UNHCR’s statement on the agreement provided cautious support but contained some fairly important “ifs”, including the need for compliance with international law. It appears that the new scheme will, as with Rwanda, rely on the use of the inadmissibility process to exclude people from having their asylum claim considered in the UK and return them to France. When imagining how that is likely to go, it is worth revisiting the Home Office’s inadmissibility decision making with the Rwanda cases. 

For anyone who missed it – last week the Minister of State for Border Security and Asylum confirmed that the trial extension of the move-on period to 56 days will continue until the end of the year. 

On Free Movement, Chris Benn has written an explainer on the new, more generous, approach to absences under the EU Settlement Scheme. The Home Office’s approach to investigating complaints by immigration detainees of their mistreatment was held to be unlawful but elsewhere they succeeded in a deportation appeal involving an EEA national who had also spent time in the UK as the non-EEA national family member of an EEA national.

The following online courses for members have been updated Advising Employers: Sponsor Licence Applications and Duties (with thanks to Jack Freeland) and Appendix FM: Family Members. For everything else on Free Movement and elsewhere, read on.

Cheers, Sonia

What we’re reading

Dinghies at dawn and a determination to arrive: on the French coast waiting to cross to UK – The Guardian, 10 July

Mixed reaction to Starmer’s migrant deal as charities add to calls for clarity – The Guardian, 11 July

Supreme Court decision in Medical Justice’s judicial review – Wilsons Solicitors, 9 July

Child asylum seekers need more support, study says – BBC News, 13 July

Boaz report on refugee homelessness prevention – Boaz Trust, July 2025

Palestinian family ask UK court to force officials to help them leave Gaza – The Guardian, 9 July

Too late to stop small boats once people arrive in Calais, says UN migration chief – The Guardian, 9 July

New Report – “This system destroys you”: Children trapped in adult asylum hotels by the Home Office – Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit, 9 July

Ali Smith: ‘Refugee Tales is a small bright spot in dark times’ – The Observer, 5 July

Colombia: situation of LGBTQI+ people – Asylos, June 2025