Joint civil society statement on the passage of the Illegal Migration Action
18th July 2023
As a coalition of 290 organisations representing the human rights, migrants’ rights, refugee and asylum, anti-trafficking, children’s, violence against women and girls, LGBTQI+, disability rights, health, LGBTQI+, housing, racial justice, criminal justice, arts, international development, environment, democracy, pan-equality, faith, access to justice, and other sectors, we condemn the passage of the Illegal Migration Act today, and stand in solidarity with all who will be affected.
We all deserve to live safe from harm. But this senselessly cruel Act will have a devastating impact on people’s lives. It turns our country’s back on people seeking safety, blocking them from protection, support, and justice at a time they need it most.
In abandoning the UK’s moral and legal obligations, the Act risks breaching multiple international human rights treaties including the Refugee Convention and the European Convention on Human Rights while shielding the Government from accountability. The UK Government has admitted that it cannot confirm if the Act is compatible with the UK’s obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights.
The Act will force people into situations that threaten their lives – whether by placing children in detention or sending people off to countries where their lives might be at grave risk. Moreover, the Act attacks the very core of human rights, which is the principle that we all have them regardless of who we are or where we are from. In stripping the most basic rights from people seeking safety and a better life, the Act dismantles human rights protections for all of us.
Either all of us have human rights, or none of us do. While the UK Government’s plans will harm those seeking safety the most, this is an attack on all of us and the values we hold dear.
The government has rushed through this law despite broad and deep opposition. But our fight is not over. As caring people, we will continue to fight for the right for people to seek safety and a better life without being forced to take dangerous journeys and without being punished for how they enter the UK. We will keep holding those in power to account for upholding the UK’s international obligations. We will strive for an asylum and immigration system that treats everyone with dignity and respect. We will stand in solidarity with and fight alongside everyone who makes the UK their home and build a society that treats everyone with compassion.
Signatories:
Akiko Hart, Interim Director, Liberty
Alexandra Loupoukhine, Interim Executive Director, JCWI
Sonya Sceats, Chief Executive, Freedom from Torture
Joyce Kallevik, Director, WISH
Professor Robert Moore, NWREN
Eiri Ohtani, Director, Right to Remain
Alison Pickup, Director, Asylum Aid
Jess McQuail, Director, Just Fair
Julie Bishop, Director, Law Centres Network
Kyle Taylor, Founder, Fair Vote UK
Kerry Smith, CEO, Helen Bamber Foundation
Andrea Simon, Director, End Violence Against Women Coalition
Traci Kirkland, Head of Charity, Govan Community Project
Amber Bauer, CEO, forRefugees
Anna Rudd, Interim Director, ASSIST Sheffield
Jim McAuliffe, Chair, Lighthouse Relief
Robina Qureshi, Positive Action in Housing
Kayte Cable and Vicki Felgate, Co-founders, Big Leaf Foundation
Siân Summers-Rees, Chief Officer, City of Sanctuary UK
Christine Bacon, Co-Artistic Director, Ice and Fire Theatre
Mark Goldring, Director, Asylum Welcome
Shameem Ahmad, CEO, Public Law Project
Marguerite Hunter Blair, CEO, Play Scotland
Aderonke Apata, Founder and CEO, African Rainbow Family
Sarah Teather, Director, Jesuit Refugee Service UK
Amos Schonfield, CEO, Our Second Home
Emma Ginn, Director, Medical Justice
Mia Hassenson-Gross, Director, René Cassin
Katie Fennell, National Coordinator, KIND UK
Dr Shabna Begum and Laurence Jay, Interim Co-CEO’s, Runnymede Trust
Stephanie Habib, Executive Team, English for Action (EFA) London
Anna MacDonald, Co-founder, Play for Progress
Dr Helen Taylor, Director, Stories and Supper
Anne Fox, CEO, Clinks
Liz Fekete, Director, Institute of Race Relations
Chris Jones, Director, Statewatch
Leila Zadeh, Executive Director, Rainbow Migration
Anna Jones, CEO & Co Founder, RefuAid
Shoaib M Khan, Partner, SMK Law Solicitors
William Gomes, Director, The William Gomes Podcast
Alphonsine Kabagabo, Director, Women for Refugee Women
Bridget Young, Director, NACCOM (No Accommodation Network)
Dr Ruth Allen, Chief Executive, British Association of Social Workers
Sebastian Rocca, CEO, Micro Rainbow
Anber Raz, Chair of the Board of Trustees, Imkaan
Naomi Webb, Executive Director, Good Chance Theatre
Zara Mohammed, Secretary-General, Muslim Council of Britain
Revd Dr Tessa Henry-Robinson, Moderator of General Assembly, United Reformed Church
Trustee, Waltham Forest Migrant Action
Rosario Guimba-Stewart, CEO, Lewisham Refugee and Migrant Network (LRMN)
Mel Steel, Director, Voices in Exile
Lis Murphy, Creative Director, Music Action International
Mariko Hayashi, Executive Director, Southeast and East Asian Centre (SEEAC)
Zrinka Bralo, CEO, Migrants Organise
Fizza Qureshi, CEO, Migrants’ Rights Network
Robbie de Santos, Director of External Affairs, Stonewall
Sally Daghlian OBE, CEO, Praxis
Emily Crowley, Chief Executive, Student Action for Refugees (STAR)
Peter Marsden, CEO, Concordis International
Lara Parizotto & Alex Bulat, Co-Directors, Migrant Democracy Project
Tim Naor Hilton, Chief Executive, Refugee Action
Sacha Deshmukh, Chief Executive, Amnesty International UK
Anthea Sully, Chief Executive, White Ribbon UK
Souad Talsi MBE, Founder and Interim CEO, Al-Hasaniya Moroccan Women’s Project Ltd
Hugh Russell, Chief Executive, Children in Wales – Plant Yng Nghymru
Comfort Etim, Director, Refugee Women Connect
James Wilson, Director, Detention Action
Revd Gill Newton, President of the Methodist Conference
Joanne MacInnes, West London Welcome
Kerry Scarlett, Vice-President of the Methodist Conference
Natasha Eeles, CEO & Founder, Bold Voices
Dianna Nammi, Executive Director, IKWRO
Alison, JURIES
Christine Allen, Director, CAFOD
Catharine Walston, Chair of Core Committee, Cambridge Refugee Resettlement Campaign
Marissa Green, Chair of Trustees, Cambridge Convoy Refugee Action Group
Jayne Butler, CEO, Rape Crisis England and Wales
Marchu Belete & Sarah Cutler, Co-directors, Migration Exchange
Aké Achi, Founding Chief Executive, Migrants At Work
Aké Achi, CEO, Black Europeans
Shaminder Ubhi, Director, Ashiana Network
Yasmine Ahmed, UK Director, Human Rights Watch
Angie Herrera, Director, Latin American Women’s Aid (LAWA)
Harriet Wistrich, Director, Centre for Women’s Justice
Iona Taylor, Advocacy and Campaigns Lead, Positive Action in Housing
Emma Hutton, CEO, JustRight Scotland
Nick Watts, Director, Together with Migrant Children
Ruth Davison, CEO, Refuge
Mollin Delve, CEO, PHOEBE
Enver Solomon, CEO, Refugee Council
Sabrina Qureshi, Founder and Coordinator, Million Women Rise Movement
Jo Cobley, CEO, Young Roots
Laura Tomson and Rachel Adamson, Co-Directors, Zero Tolerance
Steven Smith, CEO, Care4Calais
Kathy Evans, Chief Executive, Children England
Indy Cross, Chief Executive Officer, Agenda Alliance
Shari Brown, Partnership and Development Manager, Refugee and Migrant Centre (West Midlands)
Kate Roberts, Head of Policy, FLEX
Selma Taha, Executive Director, Southall Black Sisters
Estelle Du Boulay, Director, Rights of Women
Rita Gava, Kalayaan
Natalie Collins, CEO, Own My Life
Jason Thomas-Fournillier, Senior Administrator, Spectrum Rainbow Community
Gisela Valle, Director, LAWRS
Catherine Gladwell, Chief Executive, Refugee Education UK
Barbara Drozdowicz, CEO, East European Resource Centre
Lucy Nabijou, Coordinator, Haringey Welcome
Dr David Brown, Chair, Birmingham City of Sanctuary
Josie Naughton, CEO, Choose Love
Danielle Roberts, Senior Policy and Development Officer, Here NI
Khedijah Mohammed-Nur, Cofounder, Network of Eritrean Women-UK
Rupert Skilbeck, Director, REDRESS
Sophie Neuburg, Director, Medact
Sharon Erdman, CEO, RASASC
Ghadah Alnasseri, Head of Policy and Public Affairs, Hibiscus Initiatives
Maddy Crowther, Co-Executive Director, Waging Peace
Laura Kyrke-Smith, Executive Director, International Rescue Committee UK
Eleanor Brown, CEO, CARAS Jane Lees, CEO, Communityworks
Jo Benefield, Campaign Coordinator, Bristol Defend the Asylum Seekers Campaign
Nicola David, Founder, One Life to Live
Chris Rose, Chair, Craven District of Sanctuary
Ben Gilchrist, Chief Executive, Caritas Shrewsbury
Skipton Refugee Support Group
Ailsa Dunn Secretary to Hay, Brecon and Talgarth Sanctuary for refugees
Revd Canon Helen Cameron, Moderator, Free Churches Group
Zita Holbourne, BARAC UK
Angie Pedley, Treasurer, Settle Area Refugee Support
Rosie MacPherson, Artistic Director and Joint CEO, Stand and Be Counted Theatre
Dr Nicola Sharp-Jeffs OBE, CEO, Surviving Economic Abuse
Astrid Laich, Secretary, Bournville Amnesty
Kush Chottera, CEO, Europia
Jeremy Thompson, Manager, Restore – a project of Birmingham Churches Together
Anna Pincus, Director, Gatwick Detainees Welfare Group
Tess Berry-Hart, Director, Citizens of the World Choir
Georgina Fletcher, Chief Executive, Regional Refugee Forum North East
Zlakha Ahmed, Chief Executive, Apna Haq
Refugee and Migrant Partner Lead, Sector 3
Mike Wild, Chief Executive, Macc
Christopher Desira, Director, Seraphus
Amanda Church-Mcfarlane, Co-CEO, Abigail Housing
Professor Jenny Phillimore, Institute for Research into Superdiversity, University of Birmingham
Revd. Ian Rutherford, City Centre Minister, Methodist Central Hall Manchester
District Ecumenical Officer, Greater Manchester Churches Together
Paul Parker, Recording Clerk, Quakers in Britain
Martin Drewry, CEO, Health Poverty Action
Mick Taylor, Project Coordinator, Support for Wigan Arrivals Project
Gail Heath, CEO, Pankhurst Trust
Miranda Reilly, Director, AVID
Hayley Nelson BEM, Director, Learn for Life Enterprise
Vivienne Hayes, CEO, WRC
Vicar, St Paul’s Church
Richy Thompson, Director of Public Affairs and Policy, Humanists UK
Jan Foster, Trustee, Doncaster Conversation Club
Jo Todd, CEO, Respect
Jamie Balfour-Paul, Founder and Performing Magician, Magic for Smiles
Sarah Lange, Lead Coordinator, Wyre Forest Supports Asylum Seekers
Catherine Mackle, Director, Community Welcome cic
Angus Clark, Chief Executive – Herts for Refugees
Phil Kerton, Co-Director, Seeking Sanctuary
Lisa-Marie Taylor, CEO, FiLiA
Warren Elf MBE, Co-Chair, Faith Network for Manchester
Sara Alsherif, Migrant Digital Justice Programme Manager, Open Rights group
Charlie Zosseder, Director, Samphire
Martin Cosarinsky Campos, Managing Director, Breadwinners
Tom Cheesman, Trustee, Swansea Asylum Seekers Support
Sanchita Hosali, CEO, British Institute of Human Rights
Nathan D Ndlovu, Chairman, CARAG
Kevin Hanratty, Director, Northern Ireland Human Rights Consortium
Ian Hodson, National President, BFAWU
Mauricio Silva – Inter-Religious Coordinator, Columbans in Britain
Bishop Mike Royal, General Secretary, Churches Together in England
Joan Hoult, CEO, Walking With in North Tyneside
Johannah Dyer, Chair, Bromsgrove and District Asylum Seeker Support
Patrick O’Dowd, Director, Caritas Diocese of Salford
Dr Pat Bond, Chair, New to the UK, North Shields
Barbara Hungin, Chair of Trustees, Justice First
Programme Development Director, Railway Children
Jabbar Hasan, Director, Iraqi Association
Paul Hook, Director, Asylum Matters
Revd Jide Macaulay, Founder & CEO House of Rainbow CIC
Stephanie Neville, Project Manager
Dr Ruvi Ziegler, Chair, New Europeans UK
Robert Hooper, Pastor, Oasis church
Abigail Martin, Manager, St Chad’s Sanctuary
Darren Knight, Chief Executive, George House Trust
Toni Soni, Centre Director, Coventry Refugee and Migrant Centre
Imogen McIntosh, Aid Box Community
Victoria Marks, Director, Anti Trafficking and Labour Exploitation Unit (ATLEU)
Manuchehr Maleki, Co-Chair, SYMAAG
Stuart Crosthwaite, Secretary, SYMAAG
The Revd Steve Faber, Moderator, URC West Midlands Synod
Misak Ohanian, CEO, Centre for Armenian Information and Advice
Stan Beneš, Managing Director, Opora
M Fahim, Manager, Afghan community and welfare centre
Dr Paul Martin OBE, LGBT Foundation
Nazee Akbari, CEO, New Citizens’ Gateway
Rebecca Stevenson – Read – Centre Manager, St Vincent’s Centre Newcastle upon Tyne
Zoe Gardner, National Committee, Another Europe is Possible
Nicholas Prescott, Project Manager, Fallowfield & Withington Foodbank
Seana Roberts, Manager, Merseyside Refugee Support Network
Seana Roberts, Administrator, Liverpool City of Sanctuary
Rabbi Warren Elf MBE, Rabbi, Southend and District Reform Synagogue
Ros Holland, Chief Exec, Boaz Trust
Nick Beales, RAMFEL
Lara Bundock, CEO, Snowdrop Project
Andrea Cleaver, CEO, Welsh Refugee Council
Ailsa MacKenzie, Chief Officer, The Pyramid at Anderston
Rachel Wing, Treasurer/Co Ordinator, Refugee and Asylum Seeker Project, Stockton on Tees
David Weaver, Chair, Operation Black Vote
Lee Jasper, Co-founder, Blaksox
Efi Stathopoulou, Programmes Manager, Refugee Legal Support
Vicar, St Paul’s Church Birmingham
Kat Lorenz, Director, Asylum Support Appeals Project
Denise McDowell, CEO, Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit
Elham Kashefi, Tara Centre
Maria Brul, Policy and Public Affairs Manager, Children and Families Across Borders
Katie Morrison, CEO, Safe Passage
Nazek Ramadan, Migrant Voice, Director
Daniel Sohege, Director, Stand For All
Stephanie Draper, Chief Executive, Bond
Revd Kate Gray, The United Reformed Church, Wythenshawe
Paddy Kelly, Director, Children’s Law Centre
Clare Moody, Joint CEO, Equally Ours
Sampson Low, Head of Policy, UNISON
Frank Parnham, Secretary, Barnsley Borough City of Sanctuary
Salma Ravat, CEO, One Roof Leicester
Dr Sarah Hughes, Chief Executive, Mind
Yvonne Rendell, Chair, Bromsgrove and Redditch Welcome Refugees
Karen Parry, Chief Executive, Inclusion North
Christine Rose Chair of the Core Group,Craven District of Sanctuary
Beatrice Giaquinto, Director, Nottingham Arimathea Trust
Gwen Hines, Chief Executive, Save the Children
Jennifer Nadel and Matt Hawkins, Co-Directors, Compassion in Politics
Andrew Belfield, Mosaic Justice Network
Kamran Mallick, CEO, Disability Rights UK
Liz Millman, North Wales Jamaica Society
Liz Millman, Learning Links International CIC
Garrick Prayogg project Manager, Cultural Diversity Network
Rev. Dr. Joseph D Cortis coordinator of Caritas Leeds
Zoe Bantleman, Legal Director, Immigration Law Practitioners’ Association (ILPA)
CEO, Cast – Communities and Sanctuary Seekers Together
Jane Grimshaw, Convener, Hastings Supports Refugees
Sarah Hayes, Vicar, St Germains Church Birmingham
Polly Gifford, Co-Chair, Hastings Community of Sanctuary
Ernie Whalley, Chair, Reach group, New North Road Baptist Church, Huddersfield
Mojgan Bakhtiary, Development Manager, Taban
Louise King, Director, Children’s Rights Alliance for England
Alison Page, Chief Executive, Salford CVS
Jo Walby, Chief Executive Officer, Salford CVS
Aleema Shivji, Chief Impact Officer, Oxfam GB
Gill Kelly, Chair, Wolverhampton City of Sanctuary
Rose Caldwell, CEO, Plan International UK
Frank Forman, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Refugee Forum
Alex, General Advice Coordinator, Manchester Refugee Support Network
Revd Sarah Jemison (Chair of Trustees), BEACON (Bradford Ecumenical Asylum Concern)
Pauline Mary Ruth. Chair of Trustees. Trinity Safe Space Charity
Abi Brunswick, Director, Project 17
Dr Arabella Hamilton, Lay Chair of the Parochial Church Council
Sian Summers-Rees, Chief Officer, City of Sanctuary UK
Amy Lythgoe, Trustee, Together Now
Miriam Turner and Hugh Knowles, Co-Executive Directors, Friends of the Earth (England, Wales and
Northern Ireland)
Mark Russell, CEO, The Children’s Society
Humma Nizami, Executive Director, Race Equality Network
Jonathan Senker, CEO, VoiceAbility
Joanna Ewart-James, Executive Director, Freedom United
Michael Mark, Trustee, The Cotton Tree Trust
Areeba Hamid, Co-Executive Director, Greenpeace UK
Andreea Dumitrache, Interim Co-CEO, the3million
Stephanie Grimshaw, Head of Public Affairs and Policy, Welsh Women’s Aid
Saqib Deshmukh, Interim Chief Executive, AYJ
Joseph Kiwango, Manager, Revive
Tufail Hussain, UK Director, Islamic Relief
Eleni Venaki, Director, The Comfrey Project
Amanda Littlewood, Refugees & Mentors CIC
Sabir Zazai, Chief Executive, Scottish Refugee Council
Úna Boyd, Committee on the Administration of Justice
Eleonora Fais, Anti-Trafficking Monitoring Group Coordinator, ATMG
Rev Lynn Green, General Secretary, Baptist Union of Great Britain
Emma Hawthorne, Chair, BIRCH
Simon Tyler, Executive Director, Doctors of the World UK
Laura, Director, Horton Community Farm
Phil Davis, Director, Hope Projects
Sally Hyman, founder and CEO, CRIBS International
Mark Courtice (Chair), Southampton and Winchester Visitors Group
Dr Patrick Roach, General Secretary, NASUWT Teachers’ Union
Trustee, Louth Churches for Refugees
Jessica Davidson-Egan, Director, Refugee Welcome Homes
Andrew Evans, CEO, METRO Charitye
Nick Harborne, CEO, Refugee Support Group