The Jesuit Refugee Service UK (JRS UK) has set out concerns about the new Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, which has its Second Reading in Parliament today.

Liam Allmark, Acting Deputy Director of JRS UK, said:

‍“This bill misses a vital opportunity to create a fair and humane asylum system. Time and time again, a narrow focus on border security has put lives at risk. Any of us, if forced to flee our homes, would do whatever we could to reach safety. We should be focussed on making it safer and easier for refugees to find protection, rather than building a fortress.”

Addressing JRS UK’s concerns about specific aspects of the bill, he explained:

‍“While this bill repeals some particularly harmful parts of existing legislation, it introduces dangerous new provisions which risk criminalising people seeking safety and expanding the use of immigration detention, despite the well-documented harm this causes.

The bill also allows the seizure of mobile phones from refugees, which was ruled illegal by the High Court in 2022. This can have a catastrophic impact on people’s ability to navigate the asylum system, access support, and stay in touch with their loved ones.

This Jubilee Year, Pope Francis has called us to offer welcome and hope for refugees and other displaced people. With the help of our supporters, JRS UK will continue advocating for just policies that protect the lives and dignity of all those who are forced to flee.”

Notes:

JRS UK’s 2024 report After Brook House: continued abuses in immigration detention highlights the harm that detention causes www.jrsuk.net/after-brook-house-report/  

JRS UK has supported many people seeking asylum whose phones have been seized and has worked with legal professionals to highlight the impact of this www.jrsuk.net/news/seizure-of-asylum-seekers-phones/  

Journalists can contact liam.allmark@jrs.net for further comment

Banner photo by Ugur Akdemir on Unsplash