alternative take on debate
By Razia, Chief Executive Officer
With the election looming and the debate about migration continuing to rear its ugly head (with words like illegal/legal and deserving/undeserving banded about, along with the issue of numbers and deterrents), pause for some reflective thoughts about the fundamental dilemmas the new government will face and how it might solve them in an ideal world for our young people.
Illegal smuggling and trafficking trade in humans
There are a lack of safe and legal routes into the UK, even though they were promised during the debates when passing the Nationality and Borders Act 2022 (NABA).
The current legal landscape that determines your eligibility to claim asylum in the UK is not based on your fear of persecution (as laid out in the UN Convention of Human RIghts) but the irregular way in which you seek refuge (eg by boat or lorry). We believe there will be no end to the exploitation of vulnerable young people seeking sanctuary in the UK because of this.
The new laws and the funds being poured into the French and UK border forces have not deterred desperate new arrivals. Small boat arrivals, which started in 2018, peaked in 2022 at around 40k new arrivals (Home Office Statistics, March 2024).
Arrivals in the first quarter of 2024 have already exceeded the numbers of the same quarter last year. Most of those arriving are from Vietnam, Afghanistan, Syria, Eritrea and Sudan (who have had a 98% rate of being granted refugee status in the UK) and Kurdish Iranians. These individuals are not illegal, the smugglers and traffickers are.
A new government could introduce a Humanitarian Visa for young asylum seekers trying to come to the UK and offer safe and legal routes to those who have come from key conflict zones and areas of persecution.
Ever-growing backlog of asylum applications
Asylum applications in 2001/2002 reached 100k, it was only in 2021/2 that it reached this level again, in 2009 it was about 20k. The NABA, which made asylum claims admissible based on the way you entered the UK, has generated a new backlog of asylum claims.
This means that when our young people turn 18, they will join the backlog.
Legacy claims of those who arrived before 28 June 2022 were being processed online, with 1/3 of the decisions being made without an interview. However, 1/5 of the cases were withdrawn because of non compliance (National Audit Office, June 2023). This is primarily because the online form was only in English and those in hotels didn’t have access to the internet and computers, didn't have the language capabilities to complete the form and couldn't access legal support to complete the form - even though they were from countries that were being granted refugee status.
In 2014, 80% of asylum claims were decided in six months; this year only 5% have been decided in the same time. The Illegal MIgration Act 2024 has added to the backlog of claims, which now stands at 60k (Free Movement newsletter June 2024 Briefing: four problems in the UK asylum system and how to address them - Free Movement ).
Amnesty could be given to those whose claims are deemed to have been withdrawn so that they can apply for asylum and be supported, rather than remain undocumented and below the radar. Those who are on the backlog waiting list - if they are from countries which previously had high grant rates of refugee status - could be fast tracked for processing, along with seperated young people who have turned 18 and have been living and studying in the UK.
Cost (financial and humanitarian) of the current procedures and practices in processing asylum seekers
There are currently 90k people awaiting decisions about their asylum claim. These asylum seekers are caught in a detention/deportation limboland: they are not allowed to work, are kept in substandard hotels, army barracks or barges at a great cost - not only to the UK tax payer, but to their own dignity, respect and mental health.
This will be the hard reality for so many of our young people as they reach the age of 18.
As noted above, the backlog means that their stay in detention is indefinite and there is no clear deportation destination. Even if you do not agree with the idea of offshore processing of asylum claims, the practical reality is that this approach is currently unworkable and is very costly in human and financial terms. So if they are to remain in the UK indefinitely, why not allow them to work, Lift the Ban
If the backlog could be processed, if those claiming asylum were allowed to work, they could pay for their accommodation and basic needs. They would need a 'welcome pack' of support to transition to life in the UK so that they could thrive and actively contribute to society.
It's all about shifting the lens and narrative from a deficit to an asset-based approach. These are human beings who are resilient and have survived being forced to flee their homeland; they are in need of sanctuary so that they can rebuild their lives.
With an aging population and the need to increase our workforce, we need their skills, knowledge and expertise. We have always been richer and improved because of our Commonwealth connections and the diversity of communities who have chosen to live and work in the UK over the past 200 years.
This is a moment for change, a rethink and to regain our standing once again in the international arena as standing up for the fundamental human right to seek refuge.