Charities, housing professionals and lawyers have reacted with dismay to the forthcoming Asylum Bill, trailed in the Queen's Speech today.
The bill is expected to include proposals to limit asylum seekers' access to legal aid, give them only one chance to appeal against negative decisions and even to take children into care if their parents do not leave the country when refused leave to remain.

Housing professionals believe the law, which should be published at the end of the year, will not work.

Commission for Racial Equality chairman Trevor Phillips said: "If you come from a place where your children are at risk of torture or worse, then having them taken into care may not seem that bad."

The Law Society slammed the proposal to limit asylum seekers to just one appeal. Under the plans, asylum seekers' only route of appeal if refused leave to remain in the country would be a single-tier tribunal, the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal.

Law Society chief executive Janet Paraskeva said: "A second-tier appeal is essential in view of the poor quality of Home Office decision-making."

Source

Housing Today