New long residence case
Free Movement – In the case of MD (Jamaica) & Anor v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2010] EWCA Civ 213 the Court of Appeal has dismissed two appeals against refusals under the long residence immigration rules. In both cases the immigrants had short gaps in their lawful residence and had been refused under the ten years rule. One of them had a gap of just 38 days on one occasion. The Court followed a strict interpretation of the rules and also dismissed the appeals under Article 8, upholding the decisions of... [Read more...]
New route to citizenship for refugees in Britain
UKBA – The UK Border Agency has announced that refugees and migrants with humanitarian protection in the UK will be allowed to apply for settlement and British citizenship under the current rules if their initial five-year permission to stay here will end between August 2010 and the date when the ‘earned citizenship’ system comes into force (scheduled for July 2011). If you are granted refugee status or humanitarian protection in the UK, we initially give you permission to stay here (also known as ‘limited... [Read more...]
UK: Legacy cases and children
New Zimbabwe – MANY of the so called “legacy cases” are being resolved by the United Kingdom Border Agency. Figures published this week show that the UKBA is dealing with approximately 5,000 cases per month. Not all of the cases are resulting in the granting of leave to remain, but the vast majority are being granted Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK. (Please see previous posts on legacy cases). With the granting of ILR comes a set of new challenges for many migrants living in the UK. Many people left Zimbabwe for political... [Read more...]
Afghan refugees allowed to stay longer in Pakistan
IRIN – The refugee cards of about 1.7 million Afghans in Pakistan will be extended until December 2012 and the Afghan government will have to enhance its reintegration services, according to a tripartite meeting of Afghanistan, Pakistan and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR). “UNHCR plans to assist around 165,000 people who may opt to return to Afghanistan from Pakistan and Iran in 2010,” Nader Farhad, a UNHCR spokesman in Kabul, told IRIN, adding that the return would be gradual and voluntary. Read more Read More →
The fatal failings of the UK asylum system
The Guardian – Last weekend, three members of a family jumped together to their deaths from a Glasgow tower block. It’s said that they were Russians whose asylum claims had been rejected. However, most deaths among asylum seekers don’t make national news, as is made clear by a report compiled by Harmit Athwal for the Institute for Race Relations in 2006. Driven to Desperate Measures catalogued the deaths of 213 asylum seekers, refugees and migrant workers who had been murdered in racist attacks or died in accidents... [Read more...]
Aid workers battle to help desperate refugees
IRIN – With at least 67,000 refugees in southwest Uganda, the government and aid workers are still battling inadequate resources in what a UN official described as a “silent emergency”. “We can hardly meet international standards of indicators such as water, health and food,” Nemia Temporal, deputy representative of the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) in Uganda, told IRIN on 8 March. “For instance, we are delivering 15 litres [of water] per person per day instead of the standard 20l.” After years... [Read more...]
New fresh claims case
Free Movement – The Court of Appeal has re-visited the proper approach to deciding whether fresh asylum claims meet the rule 353 test. The case is R (on the application of YH) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2010] EWCA Civ 116 and it effectively supersedes WM (DRC) and interprets the Supreme Court decision in BA (Nigeria). In fact none of it comes as a surprise, though, and it adds little if anything new. Firstly, giving the leading judgment, Lord Justice Carnwath holds that there is no practical difference between... [Read more...]
Glasgow deaths raise concern over treatment of asylum seekers
Ekklesia – A charity has expressed concern at the treatment of refugees and asylum seekers after three people plunged to their deaths from the 15th floor of a block of flats in Glasgow. The tragic incident took place on Sunday morning, 7 March 2010. Police have been investigating the deaths of two men and a woman at the Red Road block of flats in the Springburn area of Glasgow, reports Independent Catholic News (http://www.indcatholicnews.com/). The identity of the three has not been confirmed, but neighbours believe they may... [Read more...]
Sanitary project changes lives of refugees in Uganda
IRIN – A project using papyrus and waste paper to make sanitary pads has changed the life of Evelyne Banyamisa, who fled rebel violence in Bunia, north-eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in 2003 when she was only 13. After leaving the DRC, Bamanyisa ended up in south-western Uganda where she has been living as a refugee. She was separated from her parents as they fled Bunia, and Banyamisa, her elder brother, a younger sister and a niece, arrived in the Kyaka II refugee camp where they lived together as a family until... [Read more...]
Iraq IDPs return in large numbers
IRIN – The security situation in Iraq’s northeastern province of Diyala is slowly improving and thousands of displaced families have returned to their homes, according to officials. “Despite the fact that the security situation in some parts of the province is not good, some areas where the security situation has improved are witnessing good return levels,” said Thari Mohammed, a senior official in the Ministry of Displacement and Migration in Diyala. Mohammed said about 12,900 displaced families (roughly... [Read more...]
Featured Video
Live Radio
Hatnews Radio Program, Fridays' only 12 - 4pm
