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Local authorities targeted in crackdown on ‘illegal immigrants’

The Home Office is asking local authorities to crack down on ‘illegal immigrants’ in advance of the vote on the Asylum Bill.

A draft circular from the Home Office to local councils encourages them to pass on information on the immigration status of their clients which they come across in the ‘normal course of their duties’.

Head teachers in some areas have expressed concerns that they may be forced to check on the immigration status of some of their pupils. It is thought this may refer to children who receive free school meals, because only children whose parents are on benefits are entitled to free meals. Benefits were withdrawn from some categories of asylum-seekers in February 1996.

A spokesman for the Refugee Council, which is acting as an umbrella organisation for refugee groups helping those affected by the February regulations, said: ‘There is a lot of talk about this and a lot of fear, but nothing has yet happened.’

Anne Jarvis, head of Barnet Council’s Education Committee, said: ‘Local authorities have a moral obligation to look after the needs of their residents and the job of head teachers is to teach and not to do the work of the Home Office. There is a possible risk of contravening the Race Relations Act if teachers are starting to ask where people come from.’

Social Services are also affected by the moves. They have been told that asylum-seekers who apply for a revision of special grants are at risk of having them scrapped altogether. This would affect, for example, an asylum-seeker with HIV or AIDS who is on income support and therefore entitled to disability allowances and other grants. When the client’s condition deteriorates and they need an upgrading of their disability allowance, they will now be advised not to apply because they risk losing benefits they already receive.

While the exact implications of recent moves on immigration and asylum are still unclear, the Refugee Council says the feeling of anxiety among refugee groups and asylum-seekers has intensified. Local authorities feel a climate of fear and uncertainty is being created in advance of the vote on the Asylum Bill, which will discourage asylum-seekers and refugees from coming forward for services, leaving them increasingly marginalised.

The Bill will be voted on later this year. Some concessions have been made in the debate on the Bill on issues such as torture, but other clauses such as the ‘white list’ of ‘safe’ countries and fines on employers who hire ‘illegal immigrants’ still remain.