31st January 2025 – Time and time again, evidence has shown that a ‘detain first, ask later’ approach sees highly vulnerable people locked in prison-like settings simply because of their immigration status. We are concerned that the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill grants the government wide-ranging powers to detain more people seeking asylum, potentially inclusive of modern slavery survivors and children, when all available evidence shows that this processes severely traumatises the people targeted.
We are also concerned that some suggested ways of ‘deterring’ forced migration are not grounded in evidence, and this approach puts more people at risk of vulnerability and exploitation. Ramping up immigration powers, including inhumane measures like allowing low-level immigration officers to search the mouths of people who may have migrated, sends a strong message to people living with insecure immigration status that they are the ones who face risks if they come forward and report abusive employers, agencies, traffickers or people who are otherwise exploitative.
Lastly, a disproportionate focus on policing ‘organised criminal gangs’ too often comes at the expense of tackling root causes of forced migration. In the worst cases, it leads to the most visible and vulnerable people in these settings being criminalised rather than anyone with relative power. We are concerned that the bill as it stands does not sufficiently safeguard people who have been exploited, used as money mules, or forced to steer vessels under the threat of violence or death.
We need an immigration system which reduces harm rather than compounds it. We need a fair plan for refugees, which upholds the right to claim asylum in the UK and supports solutions evidenced to reduce unsafe journeys, including safe routes to refugee protection.
As the bill progresses, we will be monitoring changes closely.
After Exploitation 