Legal

“We are all under attack”: solidarity, the immigration bill and a Hostile Environment

Published by NCADC on November 11, 2013 | Leave a response

At a meeting organised by Legal Action for Women in London on Saturday, representatives from groups all across the UK came together to share how things are in their locality, and to plan what we can all to do fight the racist immigration bill, the devastating legal aid cuts, and against detention and deportation. Unsurprisingly, a pretty bleak picture was painted. Scarce legal representation, increased destitution, sexual and racist abuse in detention, dwindling resources. And yet, and yet. The energy in the room was fortifying: determined groups and individuals vowing that we wouldn’t give up, and that to succeed we Read the full article…

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Third country cases: Dublin III Regulations compared to Dublin II

Published by NCADC on October 17, 2013 | 1 Response

This guest blog post is written by Robert Swinfen, a member of the Management Committee of NCADC. He has been closely involved in a few campaigns for the right to remain, including a successful campaign to prevent a transfer under the Dublin II regulations. “Dublin” is the term often used to refer to the agreement between the EU countries about where people’s asylum claims are heard. The numerals after the name is the official way they are written: so Dublin II which means Dublin 2 and Dublin III means Dublin 3). The normal rule is that it the asylum claim Read the full article…

What next for the legal aid campaign? Stop the residence test!

Published by NCADC on September 23, 2013 | 2 Responses

In our blog post of 6 September - Legal Aid Consultation: next steps - we set out the latest form of the Government’s legal aid proposals including some clarifications and concessions in relation to the residence test and the availability of judicial review. While it is encouraging that the objections of various campaign groups and professional bodies has been heard, the proposals which remain on the table could have very damaging consequences. Find out more about why the legal aid campaign is not yet won, in this post by NCADC legal volunteer Jacqueline. Residence Test As set out in ILPA’s Read the full article…

Afghanistan: key areas of SHSH commentary

Published by NCADC on September 9, 2013 | Leave a response

Still Human Still Here (SHSH) is a “coalition of over 50 organisations that are campaigning to end the destitution of thousands of refused asylum seekers in the UK”. In June this year, they issued a commentary on the UKBA’s Operational Guidance Note (OGN) on Afghanistan. The commentary identifies inconsistencies and omissions between Afghanistan country of origin information (COI) and case law and the conclusions reached by the OGN. NCADC volunteer Jacqueline has summarised the commentary on Afghanistan, with a particular focus on issues relevant to Afghan asylum-seekers in the UK. You can read the full text of SHSH’s commentary here. Read the full article…

Legal aid consultation: next steps

Published by NCADC on September 6, 2013 | 1 Response

ILPA summary of the government’s response to the legal aid consultation (asylum and immigration law), and what you can do to campaign for access to justice to all. For the Government response to the consultation see here. ILPA’s response to the consultation can be read here. What can I do? There is general consensus that action at local, constituency level, is needed to raise interest in the effect of the civil proposals to a level where the debate can be heard. This will happen where people: Write to or visit local MPs (or if you deliver legal aid, ask them Read the full article…

Legal Aid – the Scottish perspective

Published by NCADC on August 12, 2013 | Leave a response

The UK government is pushing forward with plans to (further) decimate the legal aid system. In the second of a series of blog posts on Legal Aid, NCADC volunteer Jacqueline gives an overview of the impact the changes have had and will have in Scotland. Following our recent blog posts on the changes to legal aid and proposed further changes - ‘Where is Justice?‘ and ’Transforming Legal Aid‘ - and for the sake of clarity, it seems worth pointing out that the legal aid budget in Scotland is separate from England and Wales. Many of the changes which have taken Read the full article…

Are the UK’s mass deportation charter flights lawful?

Published by NCADC on July 29, 2013 | Leave a response

Corporate Watch has released a new, 20-page briefing examining the lawfulness of the UK’s mass deportation charter flights, where private airlines are contracted to deport up to 80 refugees and migrants to a particular country at a time. Part of a forthcoming report by Corporate Watch and Stop Deportation examining various other aspects of this controversial programme, the briefing aims to provide campaigners and legal practitioners with some arguments and tools with which to challenge the legality of these flights. Download the briefing here Collective expulsions and Protocol 4 The main focus of the briefing is Protocol No. 4 to Read the full article…

Transforming Legal Aid – Proposals and commentary so far

Published by NCADC on July 23, 2013 | 1 Response

The UK government is pushing forward with plans to (further) decimate the legal aid system. In the first of a series of blog posts on Legal Aid, NCADC volunteer Jacqueline gives an overview of the changes, proposals and debate. In our “Where Is Justice” blog post on 21 May 2013, we illustrated some severe changes made to legal aid by the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (LASPO), and we highlighted further brutal proposals contained in the “Transforming Legal Aid” consultation. The three proposals which will have the most disastrous impact on migrants are the proposal to Read the full article…

Dublin III - The Common European Asylum System

Published by NCADC on July 23, 2013 | 1 Response

The Dublin III Regulation enters into force Statement from ECRE and JRS Europe (link here). Brussels, 19 July 2013 – Today, the Dublin III Regulation enters into force. For the European Union and its member states, this is a pivotal moment because it heralds the arrival of what they consider to be the Common European Asylum System. It is also a pivotal moment for asylum seekers: the way in which EU member states implement Dublin III will undoubtedly impact their ability to seek protection in Europe. This year, both the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) and the European Council on Refugees Read the full article…

Unlawful Killing

Published by NCADC on July 9, 2013 | 1 Response

After 8 weeks of evidence, an inquest jury has found that Jimmy Mubenga was unlawfully killed while being restrained by G4S guards in a deportation attempt in 2010. Jimmy Mubenga, a 46 year old Angolan father, died onboard a British Airways plane at Heathrow airport. The inquest heard that Mubenga had been calling out for help as three G4S guards heavily restrained him for more than half an hour. Several passengers said they heard him shouting that he could not breathe and that he was crying out: “They’re going to kill me.” Criminal charges against the three G4S guards were Read the full article…