In April 2024 the Home Office announced a plan to detain asylum seekers across the UK in preparation for forced deportation to Rwanda. The UK Government’s Rwanda plan has been widely criticised as unlawful and unworkable by unions, refugee charities and legal experts. We are taking a range of actions to build the campaign to stop these detentions and forced deportations to Rwanda.
On Monday 29th April 2024, we attended a reported detention in Glasgow while other trade unionists attended one in Perth. In both cases, no Home Office presence was noted. It is unclear whether this was due to the quick response, or for other reasons. We have collated key information from refugee support groups including legal advice and requests for individuals to volunteer to buddy with asylum seekers when they attend immigration reporting centre meetings.
- The STUC will consistently monitor social media activity and post updates on all situations that arise.
- We will support and publicise local trade union activity through social media and our website. A number of trades union councils have strong links with their refugee communities due to their previous activity in support of refugees and against the far right.
- We hosted an online public meeting on Wednesday 1st May to hear about the political and legal challenges to the plan, how to take practical action to build trade union solidarity and what can be done to guarantee safe passage for refugees and asylum seekers. Speakers included Aamer Anwar, lawyer & activist & the Public & Commercial Services Union (PCS), and Positive Action in Housing, a migrant and refugee support organisation.
- We will also be providing updates through our regular Mailchimp to activists. Please use this link to subscribe.
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