Nationality and migration

‘Resilient’ London tube bombing survivor faces deportation

A report in the Telegraph on Sunday relates how a 70-year-old survivor of the London tube bombing in July 2005, who still has shrapnel embedded in his head, has been shocked to learn he cannot attain British citizenship.

Professor John Tulloch has been living a financially secure life, most recently residing in the Vale of Glamorgan with his British wife. He also has children who are British.

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More of the same as Cameroon athletes seek asylum

With the recent reports that seven Cameroonian Olympic athletes have disappeared and are believed to be seeking asylum, we thought we’d have a look back through the years at the history of asylum seekers and defectors at previous Olympic competitions.

The first defection at an Olympics games happened at the 1948 London Olympics when Marie Provaznikova, President of the International Gymnastics Federation, refused to return home to Czechoslovakia due to conditions in the country since its annexation by the Soviet Union.

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Closure of Immigration Advisory Service blamed on legal aid cuts

The Immigration Advisory Service (IAS) has gone into unannounced administration leaving tens of thousands of people with immigration and asylum claims without legal advice and support.

The charitable service is placing the blame squarely at the feet of the Government’s austerity plans to slash £350m from the £2.1bn legal aid budget. (more…)

Stricter rules needed for marriage visas, say campaigners

Migration Watch UK are calling for stricter rules for marriage visas in order to crack down on sham and forced marriages, and rebuild the public’s confidence in the immigration system.

Sir Andrew Green, the campaign group’s chairman, said the current rules are “harmful to the cohesion of our society.” (more…)

British citizen to be deported from Australia after 40 years

A 47-year-old British man, who has lived in Australia since he emigrated with his family at age 6, is being deported to the UK from Australia because of his criminal record.

Whilst Clifford Tucker has been living in Australia for more than 40 years and has not had any criminal offences recorded against him in recent years, the Australian immigration authorities were alerted to his residency status when he returned from a trip to Bali in 2009.
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‘Sham’ marriages rise by 66%

The number of suspected sham marriages reported by registrars in England and Wales to the Home Office has risen by 66%. In 2009, 561 suspected sham marriages were reported and in 2010 this figure jumped to 934.

A sham marriage is a marriage that takes place between two people who have no relationship and are getting married in a desperate attempt to be able to remain in the country. Illegal immigrants who want to remain in the UK can do so by marrying anyone with an EU passport. (more…)

Asylum seeker restrained by UKBA staff feared he was “going to die”

Bienvenue Mbombo, a 38-year-old Congolese asylum seeker, claims that he struggled to breathe when being restrained by UK Border Agency (UKBA) staff at Heathrow as they tried to forcibly remove him from the UK. (more…)

Immigration removal centre accused of exploitation

Yarl’s Wood, an immigration removal centre in Clapham, Bedfordshire, has been accused of exploitation after paying female detainees £1 per hour for menial work. (more…)

It’s official! Santa Claus is Canadian

It has been one of the most contentious immigration battles in history, but it has finally been determined:  Santa Claus is a Canadian citizen. (more…)

High Court overturns immigration cap

The High Court has ruled that the temporary immigration cap on skilled workers coming from outside the EU is illegal because the Home Secretary, Theresa May, unlawfully bypassed Parliament. (more…)