Improving migrant rights

The combination of barriers created by policies and legislation that have intentionally created a hostile environment and the cost-of-living crisis is continuing to have a devastating impact on the lives of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers in the UK. 

Many have found themselves unable to navigate the immigration process; unable to understand and access their rights; and facing an endless cycle of poverty and destitution. We believe the most disadvantaged people in our communities have the most to lose if they don’t have the protection afforded to them by their legal rights.  

Many will have arrived in the UK legally but may be living with precarious immigration status. Whether as a result of fleeing an abusive partner or an exploitative employer; growing up assuming they’re British, only to discover they do not have British citizenship, even though they’ve never known any other country; or being unable to afford to renew their visa or to challenge an incorrect decision made by the Home Office. The impact on people’s lives is far reaching: curtailing opportunities and impacting access to vital services and support. Sadly, most have only limited awareness and no experience of how legal rights could impact positively on their lives.  

Lack of access to immigration advice combined with low levels of detailed understanding of issues relating to immigration status, means grassroots organisations and other services, including the public sector, frequently find themselves supporting people with complex, legal immigration needs. Through our partnerships with grassroots organisations we routinely encounter people passionate in their desire to help but frustrated by a lack of specialist legal knowledge. Whilst practical and emotional support is vital, we observe systemic failure amongst many of these organisations to understand the root causes of presenting problems, and to recognise that these might be tackled using legal rights. This is compounded by migrants often being incorrectly denied vital services because of presumptions about their immigration status. 

We believe it’s critical to view the system as a whole, embedding rights in communities, to seek change across the widest range of organisations working with the migrant community in order to build a more sustainable, collaborative, and co-ordinated sector; and to strengthen and increase access to immigration advice and legal support.