Author | Lightnews

BIRCH Network @birchnetwork.bsky.social · 23h

This trustee week we are saying a huge thank you to our team of dedicated trustees.

We want to recognise their contribution and thank them for this valuable contribution and for helping us to continue with our essential work.

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Colin Yeo @colinyeo.bsky.social · 23h

New from FM: New commentary and report highlight persistent human rights violations against Afghans associated with the former government and international forces | Emily Wilbourn

New commentary and report highlight persistent human rights violations against Afghans associated with the former government and international forces - Free Movement

Today, Asylos has published new commentary on the UK Home Office’s Country Policy and Information Note: Fear of the Taliban. The commentary focuses on the

freemovement.org.uk

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Dan Sohege @danielsohege.bsky.social · 1d

Based on timeframes, chances proper assessment of risks to health and being trafficked being carried out with the "one in one out policy" are next to zero. Home Sec has already spoken about weakening modern slavery protections to facilitate this inhumane policy.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

Concerns raised over planned second removal of Iranian who returned to UK on small boat

Exclusive: Lawyers tell Home Office about health issues of man who says smuggling gangs make it too dangerous for him to go back to France

www.theguardian.com

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Jon Featonby @jonfeatonby.bsky.social · 1d

Two months after the Government paused refugee family reunion, Lord Kerr has written for @politicshome.bsky.social about an amendment led by @alfdubs.bsky.social seeking to ensure that refugee children can continue to be reunited with family members in the UK www.politicshome.com/opinion/arti...

Refugee families in the UK must have a safe route to reunite with a lost child

Lord Dubs' amendment to the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill would address the heartbreaking choices faced by parents separated from th...

www.politicshome.com

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Doctors Without Borders / Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) @msf.ca · 1d

#TalkAboutSudan:

"Children are not spared. Elderly people are not spared. Women are not spared.”

The crisis in #Sudan is catastrophic.

Watch as Michael Lawson, Humanitarian Representative to #Canada, updates Parliament. #cdnpoli

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Social Workers Without Borders @socialworkerswb.bsky.social · 1d

UK registered social workers & SW students.. Want to stand in social work solidarity with people impacted by borders?

We are holding an online info session about volunteering THIS SATURDAY 10-11:30am. We'd love to see you there!

Find out more & register: socialworkerswithoutborders.org/917-2/

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Asylum Matters @asylummatters.bsky.social · May 27

When irresponsible politicians try to divide our communities, what do we do? We speak up, we stand together, we stay strong.

We are, and always will be, an island of solidarity, not of strangers.

www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...

Headline from the Mirror newspaper reads "refugee and migrant groups join with hundreds to warn again 'politics of division'

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Sally Hayden @sallyhayd.bsky.social · 2d

I'm speaking as part of this online event on November 12 organised by the NYU Migration Network, focused on global questions around migration, detention & deportation. Anyone can join & here is the link to register: nyu.zoom.us/meeting/regi... @nyukevo.bsky.social

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Women for Refugee Women @4refugeewomen.bsky.social · 2d

🏠 Everyone needs somewhere safe to call home.

But asylum accommodation is failing people seeking safety and causing huge harm.

All while private contractors make MILLIONS in profit.

Read more in this vital report by @freedomfromtorture.bsky.social

stories.freedomfromtorture.org/changing-the...

Asylum housing: Changing the conversation | Freedom from Torture

A guide on talking about refugees and torture survivors in asylum accommodation

stories.freedomfromtorture.org

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Praxis, for migrants and refugees @praxisprojects.bsky.social · 2d

“People have the right to depend upon the law and not changing that substantially retrospectively. It undermines the basic rule of law if you can change the law at any time and apply it retrospectively.” Bethan Lant, lawyer at Praxis

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...

Farage’s plan to scrap ILR would be blocked in the courts, lawyers say

Exclusive: Tory former solicitor general and justice secretary warns plan ‘runs counter to our British values’

www.independent.co.uk

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Asylum Matters @asylummatters.bsky.social · 2d

Human being belong in communities, not camps. And our Government knows it. They said they'd shut the camps and stop wasting millions making people seeking sanctuary suffer - so why are they bringing this failed plan back now?

Why housing asylum seekers in military camps is an expensive mistake

Julia Savage, campaigns manager at Asylum Matters, writes about why housing asylum seekers in military barracks is wrong.

www.bigissue.com

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Hetan Shah @hetanshah.bsky.social · Apr 22

Another report on how our high visa costs deter top R&D talent
www.theguardian.com/science/2025...

"The UK's upfront immigration costs now vastly exceed other leading research nations, so the UK is struggling to compete.
EU countries can more easily attract talent from the EU due to free movement, and from non-EU countries due to their relatively low visa costs.
"Non-EU countries are also attractive to global research talent due to lower comparative immigration costs than the
UK."
British scientific institutions are having to spend huge sums on visa costs for cancer professionals they wish to attract and recruit.
The Francis Crick Institute, one of the world's leading biomedical research centres, is now spending more than £500,000 a year on visas for cancer scientists. Cancer Research UK institutes are spending almost £690,000 a year, up 44% from £470,000 in 2022-23.

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Colin Yeo @colinyeo.bsky.social · 16d

New from FM: Age assessments: what happens when a child arrives in the UK? | Francesca Sella

Age assessments: what happens when a child arrives in the UK? - Free Movement

The Home Office does not publish statistics regarding children who are wrongly assessed as adults on arrival nor regarding the number of initial age

freemovement.org.uk

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Asylum Matters @asylummatters.bsky.social · 16d

Your regular reminder that we all miss out on £1.6bn a year to our economy, just so our Government can keep cruelly denying people the right to work while they wait for the results of their asylum application.

Think that's ridiculous? Join us at: lifttheban.co.uk/

Text graphic reads "£1.6bn the amount the Government could boost the UK's GDP by if it lifted the ban on work for people seeking asylum - National Institute for economic and social research"

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Right to Remain @right-to-remain.bsky.social · 23d

Interested to write messages of solidarity to ppl in immigration detention? Join @sdvisitors.bsky.social Justice & Peace Scotland, Glasgow Solidarity Stall -18 Oct (The National Day of Solidarity to End Immigration Detention)
tickettailor.com/events/scott...
#nooneisillegal #thesewallsmustfall

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BIRCH Network @birchnetwork.bsky.social · 24d

@loucalvey.bsky.social @diane-writer10.bsky.social @zoejardiniere.bsky.social @jcwi-uk.bsky.social @refugeeaction.bsky.social @brumschofsanctuary.bsky.social

BIRCH Network @birchnetwork.bsky.social · 24d

@rainbowmigration.bsky.social @africanrainbowfam.bsky.social @humansforrights.bsky.social @right-to-remain.bsky.social @bvscbirmingham.bsky.social @microrainbow.org @restoreuk.bsky.social @storiesofhome.bsky.social @refugeestogether.bsky.social @asylummatters.bsky.social

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BIRCH Network @birchnetwork.bsky.social · 24d

📢📢Job in refugee sector📢📢

Our friends at Journey LGBT+ Asylum Group are recruiting for their first paid post - a Member Coordinator to support their members and volunteers. Find out more here: journeylgbtasylumgroup.co.uk/current-vaca...

Please share widely!

Current vacancies – Journey LGBT+ Asylum Group

journeylgbtasylumgroup.co.uk

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Detention Action @detentionaction.bsky.social · 29d

People seeking asylum are given only seven days to challenge their removal to France. Predictably, the system in place to provide legal support for people in detention is failing. Some are unable to obtain legal representation and end up missing crucial deadlines.

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Asylum Matters @asylummatters.bsky.social · Oct 6

"I wish those who spread hatred could spend just one week in Napier Barracks, cut off from work, isolated from society, uncertain of the future. Only then would they understand what it feels like."
www.bigissue.com/opinion/asyl...

I wish people like Tommy Robinson could see what life is really like for asylum seekers

Refugees and asylum seekers are not a burden – they are people with skills, experiences and dreams with the potential to help communities.

www.bigissue.com

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Nick @nicko66.bsky.social · Oct 3

An excellent point. The terms migrant, refugee etc are being used to dehumanise

Nicola Kelly @nicolakellywrites.bsky.social · Oct 2

Every newsroom should have an immigration correspondent.

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African Rainbow Family @africanrainbowfam.bsky.social · Oct 3

We are delighted to share that one of our LGBTIQ+ siblings from Namibia has received their grant of refugee status and a life of security, congratulations Helgano!!!🏳️‍🌈 🏳️‍⚧️

To support African Rainbow Family use the link in bio
#peopleseekingasylum #AfricanRainbowFamily

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Colin Yeo @colinyeo.bsky.social · Oct 3

Don Flynn in 2002, in Tough As Old Boots:

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Colin Yeo @colinyeo.bsky.social · Oct 3

New from FM: Successful challenge to certification of human rights claim for gay man | Sonia Lenegan

Successful challenge to certification of human rights claim for gay man - Free Movement

A gay man from India has successfully challenged a decision by the Home Secretary to certify his human rights claim, meaning that he was unable to appeal the

freemovement.org.uk

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Nando Sigona @nandosigona.bsky.social · Sep 30

Labour’s plan to make migrants earn permanent residency by doubling the wait to 10 years & adding new tests turns belonging into an endless exam.
🔗 theconversation.com/labours-plan...
#ShabanaMahmood
#LabourConference

Labour’s plan for migrants to ‘earn’ permanent residency turns belonging into an endless exam

In this hierarchical system, migrants are kept on extended probation and judged by standards never applied to British nationals.

theconversation.com

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