Tweet

Daniel Sohege

4 Jul, 12 tweets, 5 min read

@pritipatel

It isn't illegal to cross channel or seek asylum. Ironically for @pritipatel it is illegal to penalise asylum seekers for their manner of entry. While studying the Australian system did @ukhomeoffice miss part where some of those policies are illegal? 1/

thetimes.co.uk/article/e3d4b6…

@pritipatel

The reality of @pritipatel's #NewPlanforImmigration is that it will increase the very issues which she claims she wants to solve. It doesn't tackle smugglers or traffickers. Quite the opposite. It creates a never ending supply for them of people with no chance of seeking help. 2/

People aren't crossing the channel for fun. They are doing it because they have no other options left. As recognised in law, safety is fairly subjective and there are very good reasons why asylum, and it is only a small minority nonetheless, may not feel safe in EU countries. 3/

So instead of providing them with safety the government forces them back into the hands of smugglers and traffickers time and times again, while simultaneously making it harder for them to seek assistance in escaping their clutches, due to fear of being banged up themselves. 4/

The asylum system is broken, but with applications at their lowest level for years it isn't due to being "overwhelmed". Thousands of asylum seekers, including many children, are waiting longer for claims to be processed by Home Office incompetence. 5/
refugeecouncil.org.uk/latest/news/th…

@ukhomeoffice

By imprisoning #asylumseekers, in clear contravention to international law, let alone humanity, the @ukhomeoffice all but guarantees that this situation worsens. With EU countries refusing to accept returns asylum seekers will be left in limbo. 6/

theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/m…

This just plays into the hands of traffickers and leads to increased exploitation of #refugees. Globally "resettlement" accounts for 4% of all asylum places. By denying assistance to those entering via other means they are placed at more risk. 7/

amp.theguardian.com/global-develop…

Part of Patel's plans include limiting the opportunities to appeal. With so many rejections, particularly among those who have already been trafficked, overturned on appeal, this, yet again, is almost guaranteed to increase risks to trafficking victims. 8/
amp.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/j…

It may seem like semantics, but there is a difference between "smugglers" and "traffickers". It's an important distinction in this context, and one often overlooked by both the government and media. Both are run by gangs who I would hope we all agree need to be combatted. 9/

Smugglers mainly take an upfront fee. It's transactional. Once they have deposited asylum seekers somewhere their job is done. The thing is because they get paid upfront they don't care what happens next. Prosecuting asylum seekers forced to rely on them won't stop the gangs. 10/

Traffickers on the other hand exploit people after they have moved them, ostensibly to recoup costs. In many cases those forced into the hands of traffickers don't even know which country they will end up in, so again prosecuting them isn't a "deterrent". 11/

By making it harder for them to come forward and seek asylum once they have been trafficked though the government all but ensures that they are trapped in the hands of the gangs and face never ending exploitation. 12/

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More from @stand_for_all

Daniel Sohege

@stand_for_all

6 Jul

So here it is. Not a lot to be shocked by in the Nationality and Borders Bill which hasn't already been reported on, but now we have it there are some elements which definitely need addressing. 1/

First and foremost there is a very clear differentiation between refugees, ostensibly based on primarily their manner of entry. Despite the refugee convention prohibiting penalties for manner of entry it seems like they are being imposed across the board. 2/

There's also quite a bit which is seemingly unworkable. Without agreements in place with other countries, which it doesn't currently have, the UK can't remove someone to that country. So this seems liable to just leave asylum seekers stuck in detention and living in limbo. 3/

Read 11 tweets

Daniel Sohege

@stand_for_all

5 Jul

Ah, the "queue jump" line. No-one is jumping the queue by crossing the channel. Solution lies with ensuring that asylum seekers are provided with safe options to cross, not denying them safety. Returning them to France just forces them back into the hands of the gangs #r4today

@timloughton

There was so much wrong in that #r4today interview with @timloughton, but his complete lack of compassion for asylum seekers was probably the main thing for me. Continued use of "genuine", as if people crossing the channel are doing it for fun rather than desperation for example.

The UK takes a fraction of the number of asylum seekers that France does, but we have blowhard MPs making out that they have some kind of responsibility to take more so the UK can take fewer, despite applications being already low.

Read 4 tweets

Daniel Sohege

@stand_for_all

30 Jun

As already happens with non-EU nationals, due to the government's failure to extend EU citizens face risk of becoming undocumented virtually overnight. We see it time and again where people who have lived in UK perfectly legally become undocumented due to failures in system. 1/

Once undocumented it is incredibly hard for people to regain legal status. With even charities used as immigration enforcement they are denied access to support, which only increases their vulnerability and risk of the exploitation. 2/

Without an immediate extension to the #EUSettlementScheme the same thing happening to non-EU migrants now will happen to thousands of EU citizens. Jobs, homes, family life, everything thrown into jeopardy by a system which the Home Office claims to be "compassionate". 3/

Read 6 tweets

Daniel Sohege

@stand_for_all

30 Jun

Thread: I will occasionally talk about how being #ActuallyAutistic helps me be better at working in human rights, and understandably, mainly due to certain stereotypes, this confuses people. So thought I would put a little explainer together. 1/

First off, and I cannot stress this enough, this is only my personal experience. I don't, and can't speak for all autistic individuals. I can only talk about my own experiences. Everyone is different. So, that's the obligatory disclaimer out of the way. On with the show. 2/

You have possibly read, heard, or experienced how autistic individuals can have trouble with communication. I know I do. I tend to take things literally, and if you ask me a question I just hope that you actually wanted an answer. There's a flip side to this though. 3/

Read 12 tweets

Daniel Sohege

@stand_for_all

28 Jun

The UK is already the only country in Western Europe to apply indefinite detention. Rather than most people who are detained who count down to their release, migrants have to count up with no idea when they may be released. That takes a severe physical and mental toll. 1/

Now, instead of tackling this costly and inhumane process Priti Patel is looking to bring in new policies which are likely to exacerbate the issue and leave many asylum seekers living in limbo. Offshoring doesn't change this, it just shifts it somewhere else. 2/

Imagine that you had fled persecution. You have been have multiple challenges as you try and find somewhere you feel safe enough to attempt to rebuild your life, and instead of being supported you are locked up with no idea when you may be released. 3/

Read 10 tweets

Daniel Sohege

@stand_for_all

20 Jun

Thread: It is #WorldRefugeeDay and the end of #RefugeeWeek2021 today, so seems like a good time to break down some myths about refugees and asylum seekers, particularly in the UK but also globally, regarding how they may or may not enter a country. 1/

There are roughly 82.4 million people displaced in the world at the moment. Most of them (about 48 millions) are trapped within their countries of displacement. They are known as "internally displaced persons" (IDPs) and routinely denied support. 2/

If they are "lucky" enough to be able to cross an international border they may be classed as refugees. 86% of the world's 20.7 million refugees live in developing countries. 73% live in countries neighbouring those that they fled. 3/

Read 16 tweets

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