Tag: featured

On the 30th of September, the Justice Committee published the Pre-legislative scrutiny of the draft Victims Bill. We welcome their understanding of the higher vulnerability experienced by victims with insecure immigration status and their recommendation to end data-sharing between the police and Immigration Enforcement and introduce a firewall immediately. LAWRS, alongside other members of the… Continue reading LAWRS and Step Up Migrant Women respond to the Justice Select Committee’s report on the draft Victims Bill

For many years now, we’ve seen the strengthening of borders used as a popular political tool worldwide, both in discourse and practice. Within this discourse, immigration is constructed as a problem to be solved, an issue to urgently address in order to protect those who are citizens, those “who belong”. Politicians around the world have… Continue reading The hostile environment: 10 years of resistance

Why we reject the Immigration Enforcement Migrant Victims’ Protocol By LAWRS and FLEX How we got here In December 2018, Liberty and Southall Black Sisters brought the first ever super-complaint in UK history.[1] The super-complaint was submitted against both the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) and the Home Office and challenged the harmful practice whereby… Continue reading “No one is safe until everyone is safe”            

Lucia* came to LAWRS as she was experiencing gender-based abuse in what was assessed as a high-risk case. With the support of her caseworker, she reported her perpetrator to the police. But instead of investigating her perpetrator, the police prioritised her undocumented status and referred her to the Home Office. A few days later, Immigration… Continue reading Domestic Abuse Act: one year on

As the Nationality and Borders Bill is making its way through the House of Lords, organisations in the migrants and refugees’, women’s and anti-trafficking sectors remain concerned about the harm that many of the proposals within the Bill would cause to migrant victims of serious crime. The Bill provides an opportunity to enshrine in legislation safeguarding provisions… Continue reading New publication: ‘Preventing and Addressing Abuse and Exploitation: A Guide for Police and Labour Inspectors Working with Migrants’