Illegal Migration Bill

THE UK COMMITTEE FOR UNICEF (UNICEF UK) RESPONDS TO UK GOVERNMENT’S PROPOSED ILLEGAL MIGRATION BILL

Jon Sparkes, Chief Executive of the UK Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF UK), said: “The UK Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF UK) is deeply concerned about the proposed Illegal Migration Bill and what it could mean for children and families seeking safety in the UK.

“For almost all children fleeing conflict and persecution there is no safe and legal route into the UK.

“This Bill puts children’s right to safety and protection under threat by denying children who arrive through irregular routes, such as on a boat across the English Channel, from making an asylum claim, and with that the chance to rebuild their lives with stability and certainty here in the UK.

“The Bill has been published without an accompanying assessment of its impact on children, leaving many critical questions unanswered. It is not clear how this Bill will be compatible with existing UK Government duties to act in the best interests of the child, and it is questionable whether the removal of a child to a third country, following a perilous journey to the UK, could ever be in their best interest.

“UNICEF UK maintains that the creation of safe and legal routes must be part of any compassionate and effective response to reducing the use of unsafe routes. As a first step, the UK Government must urgently clarify how they will ensure children’s safety and wellbeing in this Bill and how they will maintain their obligations to uphold children’s rights.”