Weekly Immigration News Bulletin 16th – 22nd December 2017

The Guardian’s article tells us that as of 1st January 2018, banks and building societies will be required to carry out immigration checks on all their current account holders once a quarter, and to liaise with the Home Office if the accounts of individuals without leave to remain are to be frozen or cancelled. The Independent responds strongly to the new policy, citing campaign groups and lawyers who call it “inhumane” and “hostile”. The “poor track record” of the Home Office casts doubts that this policy will be fair or effective, who told The Independent that “rigorous checks” were in place to prevent mistakes being made in freezing accounts, but that a system will be in place in the event of that happening. The policy is not entirely convincing if the Home Office are considering what to do in the event of wrongly identifying a legitimate citizen as an illegal immigrant.

First vulnerable child refugee arrives in UK from Greece under Dubs scheme | The Guardian | 15.12.17

The first child has been brought over to this country a year and a half after the Dubs Amendment was passed, which promises unaccompanied child refugees in camps sanctuary in Britain. The UK agreed to accepting 480 children, but the scheme has taken this long to take off. The boy is said to have been living in squalid, inhumane conditions, which is the case with many of the 3300 unaccompanied children in Greece. Help Refugees’ Josie Naughton said: “While we are thrilled to hear of this child being brought to safety, we are heartbroken at how long it has taken.” The news is both good, and not good enough: getting sanctuary for this boy is of course wonderful news, but it is unacceptable that just one child has been resettled under this scheme in over a year. Read the full article…

Official immigration statistics show Brexit causing HUGE EU migrants fall | The Express | 20.12.17

It would seem from the statistics concerning immigration which have recently been released, that Brexit is playing a big part in people’s decision whether or not to come to the UK. What is perhaps most frustrating not just for Britons, but also for those wanting to enter the country, is the uncertainty Brexit is causing. Read the full article…

The UK has rejected thousands of gay asylum seekers | Pink News | 30.11.17
More than two thirds of asylum claims in the UK on the basis of sexual orientation have been rejected. The government is failing on a grand scale to provide asylum for those who are homosexual, which is in some countries, such as Iran, punishable by death, as the claims are not taken as seriously as those fleeing war zones. Read the full article…