In the run up to the General Election, the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) UK, has again urged a fairer, more humane asylum system. This centrally includes renewed calls for the repeal of anti-refugee laws and policies and a fairer asylum system in their place; an end to immigration detention; and a lifting of the ban on work for asylum seekers.
A General Election has been called for 4th July 2024. JRS UK has urged its supporters to engage with candidates across the political spectrum and calls on them to stand with refugees and support these policies.
Sarah Teather, JRS UK’s Director, said: “This is a vital moment to change the conversation around people seeking sanctuary in the UK. Over a number of years, we’ve seen a shocking rise in hostility, scapegoating and cruel policies targeting refugees and asylum seekers. But so many of us want a different approach: one that welcomes women, men and children who come here in search of safety, treats them with dignity, and celebrates the gifts they bring. During the next few weeks, we have a crucial opportunity to let our politicians know that we stand with refugees.”
Recent years have seen the introduction of key anti-refugee laws and policies, including, the Illegal Migration Act, which the UNHCR has described as amounting to an asylum “ban”; plans to forcibly transfer asylum seekers to Rwanda; and discussion across the diverse political parties of enacting other attempts to outsource asylum. All of these occur against the background of longstanding hostility towards refugees by successive governments, including the use of immigration detention, which has been deployed on an unprecedented scale over approximately the last two and a half decades, and a ban on work for asylum seekers. Working with asylum seekers and those in immigration detention, JRS UK has witnessed the profound negative impact of these hostile policies on them.
Research by JRS UK has demonstrated that immigration detention does deep and lasting damage to those subjected to it, and that people’s rights are systematically abused in immigration detention.
There is widespread support for asylum seekers’ right to work, with a 2022 YouGov Poll finding 81% of the public were in favour.
See JRS UK’s Election page here
