"Secure Borders, Safe Haven"?


The Home Secretary David Blunkett, has today published his White Paper "Secure Borders, Safe Haven: Integration with diversity in modern Britain".

The document sets out a comprehensive set of measures to deliver a improperly managed, racist and intimidating system of immigration, nationality and asylum for Britain in the 21st Century. The measures will enable the UK to mismanage migration, shut its borders, and build distrust and incredibility in the system amongst the wider community.

There is nothing in this White Paper that can be welcomed by anyone. It is tougher and meaner, than any of the previous white papers on immigration.
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The White Paper carries specific proposals on:

Citizenship & Nationality

. . . . . Citizenship Pledge, modernising the current Oath of Allegiance sworn by those taking British nationality.
. . . . . Ensuring that language skills and knowledge about British society become a requirement of citizenship.

Asylum

A resettlement programme, operated with the UNHCR, to establish legal gateways for certified refugees in need of protection, avoiding dangerous and highly visible illegal methods of entry.

. . . . We propose to develop ways in which some refugees will have their claim considered before they reach the UK.

Tough measures to prevent delay and obstruction in the appeals system and unmeritorious applications for judicial reviews - including making the Immigration Appeals Tribunal a Superior Court of Record; setting closure dates on appeals to stop multiple adjournments; tighter time limits on appeals; and measures to ensure the merits test for public funding of legal representation is being applied properly.

Border Controls

· Increased deployment of Airline Liaison Officers and Immigration Officers overseas to check and help prevent improperly documented passengers travelling to the UK;
· Visa regimes for nationals of countries where there is evidence of systematic abuse of our controls;

Marriage and Family visits

. . . . . increase in the probationary period for marriage from one to two years.

. . . . . a "no switching" policy to stop people applying to remain on the basis of marriage after entering the UK as a visitor or in a temporary capacity for less than 6 months.

A new Immigration Hotline - through which members of the public can report immigration offences.
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NCADC's view

The White Paper reintroduces the discredited notion of assimilation under the name of integration; while referring to a 'two way street' it offers no indication of a strategy for making Britain welcoming or tolerant or how diversity will be promoted.

There is no criteria for judging who 'belongs' other than language skills and the Oath of Allegiance.

It will make it more difficult for spouses or partners to become British citizens.

Aside from the UNHCR gateway, which may not be available or accessible in all countries, the White Paper offers no alternative legal means of entry to those fleeing persecution or repression; the legal gateway is not about facilitating entry for refugees, but about screening potential entrants.

The White Paper refers to 'delay and obstruction in the appeals system' but does not mention the regular Home Office habit of failing to send its representatives to hearings - thus causing adjournments. Nor does it acknowledge the scandal of 28,000 'non-compliance' refusals in 2001 when asylum claims were refused because a form had not been filled in properly.

It contains the usual warm words about honouring 'fundamental moral obligations' to asylum seekers but fails to say that UK will uphold the 1951 Convention rather than attempt to subvert it as the former Home Secretary did.

It is a short short period of consultation - until 21st March 2002. They clearly intend to introduce legislation in this Parliamentary session.

The wording of the Oath of Allegiance to the Monarch is meaningless to most UK citizens - why impose it on people from overseas who may feel they have no choice but to declare an allegiance they do not feel.

Everyone should be clear that today's White Paper will mean stricter controls, fewer legal rights, more detention and more deportations for those who manage to make it to the UK.

What is needed is better legal representation not further curtailment of claimant's rights. The new 'entitlement cards' will quickly become a way of policing asylum seekers and harassing settled black British people. Asylum seekers will continue to receive only 70% of Income Support and will still be refused the right to work while their claims are being examined.

The White Paper and the Home Secretary's statement make clear that asylum seekers and migrants to the UK will face more surveillance, more harrassment, and more pressure to meekly accept whatever fate the government hands out to them.

NCADC will continue to work with asylum seekers and other migrants to support them in their campaigns for justice and freedom.
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A copy of the White Paper:
"Secure Borders, Safe Haven: Integration with diversity in modern Britain".
Can be obtained form NCADC, just double click on below and send'
mailto: ncadc@ncadc.org.uk.?subject=Subscribe-SBSH.doc