Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill

Written evidence submitted by Fatima House (BSAIB39)

Written evidence submitted by Mauricio Silva.

On behalf of Fatima House- a project of the Catholic Church in Birmingham which offers accommodation to women in need of protection who are facing destitution.

Since 2016 Fatima House has offered accommodation to nearly 60 women in need of protection who were facing destitution and has helped them access assistance to find a way out of destitution, as well a pathway to secure an immigration status. In our experience the current asylum system- based on securitisation and criminalisation of individuals seeking sanctuary- is responsible for the destitution faced by the women we have assisted.

It is our experience that all of them have suffered mental health issues as a consequence of retraumatising effects of the current asylum system. The system restricts severely these vulnerable women’s agency to carry out normal life activities and also leaves them isolated and disconnected from basic services.

The new borders bill seems to be an extension of those policies that have – as widely accepted- already failed. This asylum bill does not introduce any significant policy to promote asylum and protection to refugees.

What we hear from these vulnerable women is that these policies- which are supposedly a deterrence - end up criminalising them, and not the criminal gangs. They tell us that what is needed and is clearly missing from the current bill is:

· Defend the right to seek asylum in the UK in accordance with international law by repealing the Illegal Migration Act and the Nationality and Borders Act.

· Establish safe routes for asylum seekers to reach the UK, ensuring they are not forced to risk their lives in the Channel. This includes providing visa routes, enabling family reunifications, and rebuilding refugee resettlement programs.

· End offshore processing and further externalisation of borders, as seen in the EU Migration Pact, ensuring that asylum seekers can have their cases heard fairly and promptly within the UK.

· Address the legal aid crisis, ensuring that everyone has access to high-quality legal support.

· House asylum seekers in communities, not camps, and close institutional accommodations like barracks, barges, hotels, and hostels that cause unnecessary harm at excessive taxpayer cost, while community-based housing options are available.

· Reinstate the right to work for asylum seekers within six months of arrival, allowing them to rebuild their lives with dignity and contribute to the UK economy.

· End the use of immigration detention, which restricts freedom and causes significant harm to individuals’ physical and mental health.

· Stop criminalising asylum seekers, a practice that contradicts international law, does nothing to deter irregular migration, and punishes those fleeing wars we have contributed to in countries we once colonised, simply for seeking safety.

· Put an end to harmful rhetoric aimed at asylum seekers, which fuels a hostile environment and incites violence by far-right groups. Instead, lead by example by promoting compassion and welcome for those seeking refuge.

Mauricio Silva

Coordinator- Fatima House

March 2025