The British government has introduced amendments to the guidelines for immigration officers, seeking to prevent asylum seekers who entered the country illegally from obtaining British citizenship. Many legal experts argue that these new amendments violate international refugee agreements to which the UK is committed.
The new changes are expected to prevent asylum seekers from obtaining citizenship. According to the Free Movement website, which focuses on the rights of migrants, the government has introduced a condition that denies citizenship applications from individuals who arrived in the country without prior permission. Additionally, applicants seeking citizenship starting February 10th will also likely be denied. Sonia Lenegan from the influential Migration Policy website views this amendment as a “blow to good conduct.”
Observers believe that the recent changes to citizenship regulations directly contradict immigration agreements and human rights conventions to which Britain is committed. The UN Refugee Convention prohibits penalizing individuals who arrive in the country seeking asylum or humanitarian protection. Under international law, the denial of citizenship is considered a form of punishment.
According to the Migration Observatory at Oxford University, the recent change is expected to deny citizenship to hundreds of thousands of asylum seekers, even if they have lived in the country for five years, or three years for those married to British citizens, as per British immigration law. Sonia Lenegan notes that this change will prevent asylum seekers from applying for citizenship, as they will lose the right to appeal if their application is rejected.
The British government has chosen to change the instructions for immigration officials rather than pass a new law through Parliament, as these instructions are within the government’s discretion. In 2024, the government revised the guidelines on modern slavery and human trafficking, requiring victims to provide extensive evidence upfront, which has led to many victims being denied protection.
Following its victory in the 2024 election, the ruling Labor Party announced plans to reduce the influx of refugees into the UK. Under the leadership of Keir Starmer, the government established a new system for border patrols in the English Channel and collaborated with European countries to address irregular migration. Starmer also commended the immigration policy enacted by Italy’s right-wing government, led by Giorgia Meloni, which aims to prevent migrants from reaching European shores.
