Legal Support For Criminalised Asylum Seekers

Since 2022, it has been a crime to arrive in the UK without a valid entry-clearance, even for those who are coming here to seek asylum. This means that some people who arrive in the UK looking for protection find themselves in prison.

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Our latest report shows how the UK government continues to routinely prosecute people seeking protection, including victims of trafficking and unaccompanied children. In collaboration with Captain Support and Humans for Rights Network, we work to identify and support asylum seekers who are arrested and imprisoned.

Upon release from prison, those prosecuted find themselves incredibly vulnerable in a new country without proper support. And they still need help with their asylum claim, the reason they came to the UK in the first place. 

Our holistic post-release casework assists people to prepare their asylum claims, understand their probation and immigration reporting conditions and find some dignity after the often degrading treatment they experienced in prison.

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The criminalisation of asylum seekers also means that many criminal defence lawyers are navigating the complex intersection between criminal and asylum law. To make sure they can properly support their clients, we organise forums to bring together criminal and immigration legal practitioners. If you’re a legal practitioner and have a client who has been charged with or convicted of one of these offences you can contact us at casework.uk@refugeelegalsupport.org

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