BID Responds to this week's Immigration Policy Announcement
We are devastated by the government’s reinforcement of dehumanising rhetoric.
It seems the government and our media have learned nothing from the far-right race riots. This week offered a front-row seat to how policy fuels headlines that legitimise and fuel hatred.
We are devastated by the government’s reinforcement of dehumanising rhetoric, escalated immigration detention, and a hostile stance towards asylum seekers without their claims even having been considered.
In the face of far-right violence, people across the UK have stood in solidarity with asylum seekers. This was an opportunity for the government to do the same and reflect on its fuelling of violence and dehumanisation.
The government should choose unity, safety, and compassion and not more division, othering, clampdowns and arbitrary immigration targets... Read more
Targets that should not be made before decisions on asylum claims. Targets that will tear families apart, deport parents and lock up survivors of war, torture and other horrors in detention centres without legal advice.
Detention centres in the UK are horrific places where individuals are isolated and deprived of their liberty facing confinement, neglect and abuse, without guaranteed legal representation. We should be closing detention centres down not opening them.
The movement to end detention will win and one day we will celebrate the last centre closing down. Until then our team, volunteers, pro bono barristers and supporters will mobilise to get people out one by one in court.
