Free Movement Weekly Immigration Newsletter #79

Welcome to the weekly Free Movement newsletter! 

This is an important read from our fellow blogger Giles Peaker over on the Nearly Legal housing blog, looking at how AI has contributed to the spread of inaccurate information about housing for people in the asylum system. A housing association in Wales has also had to put out a statement to counteract misinformation spreading on social media.

The government has said that they intend to extend leave for Ukrainians beyond the current 18 months on offer under the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme (h/t CJ). I didn’t have space to mention it in last week’s newsletter but I did include a link to a piece reporting that Ireland is looking at providing longer term options for Ukrainians.

eVisas continue to cause problems, as Urwa Mehmood, who is a refugee, posted on LinkedIn last week about her eVisa not being accepted as proof of age in Tesco. Refugees will often not have a passport and if they have not applied for a travel document (the cost may be prohibitive and it is not always straightforward for refugees to obtain these) then they are unlikely to have a physical document that proves their age. Yet another way that eVisas are making life more difficult for people.

The Home Office’s insistence on biometrics enrolment continues to put lives at risk in Gaza, this time it has been reported that there are 40 students who are currently stuck and in danger because of the refusal to allow them to enter the UK without enrolling their biometrics in advance. 

The ICIBI has launched a call for evidence for a new inspection of refusals and cancellations of permission to enter the UK. Separately, I noticed that interim chief inspector David Bolt’s term has been extended for a final time, to allow a replacement to be found for John Tucker, the next chief inspector and current Immigration Services Commissioner.

On Free Movement, last week we had case write ups covering an unsuccessful civil penalty appeal, a successful challenge to a sponsor licence revocation, and one involving the disbarment of an immigration barrister. Our online course for members on Fresh Claims by Asylum Seekers has been updated, with thanks to Daniel Rourke.

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

Cheers, Sonia

What we’re reading

The nationalities claiming asylum that could face visa crackdown – The i Paper, 23 July

Annual review highlights failures to protect vulnerable people in detention – Medical Justice, 24 July

Home Office wrongly referred immigration solicitor to regulators – Law Gazette, 25 July

Epping hotel anti-migrant protests were organised by members of Neo-Nazi groups – The Independent, 24 July

Two in five arrested for last summer’s UK riots had been reported for domestic abuse – The Guardian, 26 July

Dover asylum protests pose danger to small boat arrivals, charities say – The Guardian, 23 July

Seasonal Worker Visa drives debt bondage and exploitation – ATLEU, 22 July

UK border officials to use AI to verify ages of child asylum seekers – The Guardian, 22 July