media reports June 2008

30 June 08

The bare life of immigrants A new EU directive allows tougher action against illegal immigrants. Meanwhile, Western citizens are able to work around the globe. But for every harsh immigration law passed, for every statement made about the need to keep ‘them’ out, for every immigrant imprisoned, we make ‘the others’ a little less human and a little more ‘bare life’.

Migrant builder took home £8.80 for a week on NHS construction site Eastern European migrants working on the construction of a £600m NHS hospital have been taking home as little as £8.80 for a 39-hour week, in what has been described by union bosses as one of the worst instances of employee abuse in the building sector since EU enlargement.

29 June 08

Controversial plans for migrants to EU: a ‘blue card’, and increased detentions & deportation. Nicolas Sarkozy, the French President, is planning to use his nation’s six-month leadership of the European Union, which starts this week, to force through a series of controversial immigration measures. Some of the policies have already been floated, and include a right for governments to detain individuals for up to 18 months (which would actually be a reduction for the UK, which has unlimited detention), and a ‘blue card’, based loosely on the American ‘green card’, for highly qualified migrants

25 June 08

Immigrant cash bond plan dropped Plans to make families pay a cash bond of up to £3000 for relatives who visit from outside the EU have been dropped. Instead there will be heavy fines or the threat of jail if family members overstay. Habib Rahman, chief executive of the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants, said: “The government is trying to deter people to come for family visits.”

Highland labour crisis looms as fewer migrant workers seek jobs The number of migrant workers seeking jobs in the north is falling off dramatically, creating a looming labour crisis for important sectors of the Highland economy.

24 June 08

Detention of Zimbabweans in UK ‘no longer justified’ A group of six Zimbabweans who have been detained for up to 23 months in a British prison pending their deportation have appealed to Gordon Brown to release them until it is safe for them to be sent home. The six are among a larger group of 45 Zimbabweans, 30 of whom have lodged asylum claims, who are currently detained pending their deportation.

Council and citizens support Dundee woman threatened with deportation A woman fighting deportation to South Africa has won the backing of Dundee City Council, and over 3500 supporters have signed a petition for her to stay. Josie Pasane, 25, will have to leave her mother and sister behind in the city if she is forced to return to her home country. She blames poor advice from immigration officials for her permanent residency application being rejected.

23 June 08

Latin America could halt EU trade talks over return directive Ecuador’s president, Rafael Correa, has warned that trade talks between the European Union and the Andean Community could be suspended if the 27-member bloc pushes ahead with its new immigration law. “What do we have to talk about with a union of countries that criminalises immigrants?”

21 June 08

Backing for Polish consulate plan in Inverness Proposals for a Polish consulate to be established in Inverness have won backing from city councillors. They will ask Thursday’s meeting of Highland Council to support the planned office, which would offer services to Poles living in the Highlands.

20 June 08

Protests at pre-entry English tests for spouses coming to UK Government plans to insist that spouses should have to learn English before they are allowed into Britain to join their husbands or wives have run into a barrage of opposition and warnings that the idea could breach human rights laws.

Crackdown on businesses illegally hiring immigrants Businesses illegally hiring immigrants will not only face hefty new fines but be named and shamed on the UK Border Agency’s public website. The move was introduced as part a major re-focus of the work of the UK Border Agency, with new Local Immigration Teams being introduced across the UK, alongside Local Crime Partnerships with police.

19 June 08

Global outcry against EU immigration directive The European Parliament has approved stringent new laws for dealing with clandestine immigrants – a move that has come under forceful criticism from the United Nations, human rights advocates and developing countries. The “return directive” would mean that in most cases in most cases an irregular migrant will be given two options – to return home voluntarily or face deportation. Those who refuse to go voluntarily could be forcefully removed and banned from coming back to EU territory for five years. They could also face up to 18 months in prison.

18 June 08

UNISON launches migrant workers’ charter to challenge rogue employers. Scotland’s largest public service union, UNISON, has launched a Migrant Workers’ Charter. Employers who are signatories to the Charter will support the principal aim of being ethical in their recruitment practices, both in relation to potential employees and any impact on their country of origin.

17 June 08

Angry growers left to work it out The boss of Scotland’s biggest vegetable grower has renewed demands on the UK Government to resolve the mess it has created in restricting migrant workers for Britain’s agricultural industry. The industry across the UK has for months been warning that tens of thousands of tonnes of fruit and vegetables may go unharvested this summer because of the restrictions.

13 June 08

Government silent as food rots across UK Labour shortages in the horticultural sector have left fruit and vegetables rotting in British fields and forced growers to import European produce to uphold their supply contracts – and the situation will only get worse, warn experts.

12 June 08

Action plan launched for EU migrant rough sleepers in London Homeless Link has launched a Department for Communities and Local Government-backed action plan to reduce the number of central and eastern European people sleeping rough in London. The national membership body for homelessness agencies said there had been a growing concern over the number of migrant people ending up homeless in the capital.

04 June 08

Salmond in talks to force closure of Dungavel centre Alex Salmond last night revealed he is in talks with Westminster to have Scotland’s only immigration detention centre closed down. The First Minister’s office said he has voiced his “strong disapproval” with Liam Byrne, the UK immigration minister, about the Dungavel facility and dawn raids on asylum seekers in Scotland. Also see press release from Scottish National Party

03 June 08

Thousands ‘abused by gangmasters’ The number of foreign workers being exploited by employment agents is far higher than was previously thought, the Gangmasters Licensing Authority says, announcing a major operation to target rogue employers. The TUC welcomed the project’s launch, but said not all vulnerable workers were protected by the GLA. “We believe its targeted and effective approach to stamping out rogue employers should be extended to other sectors, where we know extreme abuse remains rife.”

Why this woman’s story shames Scotland Human rights campaigners and churches last night demanded the closure of Dungavel Removal Centre – Scotland’s “Guantanamo” – saying the imprisonment of vulnerable women and children behind a wire fence was unacceptable in 21st-century Scotland. The fresh outrage came after The Scotsman revealed the harrowing testimony of Corellie Bonhomme, a Canadian national, who told of her despair inside Dungavel, and of how she was pinned down by immigration officials and had her two-year-old daughter, Fi, snatched from her.

02 June 08

Hostility to immigrants ‘is holding UK back’ Widespread public hostility to immigration threatens to undermine efforts to attract the skilled foreign workers crucial to Britain’s future prosperity, the Government is warned today. The reports authors, the Work Foundation, say: “If we ever give the impression that the UK is unwelcoming or xenophobic when it comes to these highly-skilled migrants, they will go elsewhere because they do have a choice.”

News archives:

May 2008

April 2008

March 2008

February 2008