Migration news roundup 10 February 2025

This Migration News Roundup presents a selection of news, policy, research and statistics from the previous week on migration-related topics. The contents of each story do not necessarily reflect the views of Migration Yorkshire.

• UK borders and migration policy
• Specific migrant groups
• Cohesion and integration
• International news
• Stories that inspired us this week

UK borders and migration policy

Following an inquiry, a report from the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Refugees calls for changes to safe and legal routes for refugees to come to the UK, including improvements to family reunion, a pilot refugee visa scheme for countries such as Eritrea and Sudan, and a commitment for the UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS) to resettle at least 5,000 people each year. This APPG includes the MP for Sheffield Central, Abtisam Mohamed. (Source: APPG on Refugees/Refugee Council)

During a visit to Tunisia, Foreign Secretary David Lammy announced funding for skills programmes for migrants, in the hope they will become more employable in their home countries and less likely to attempt the journey to the UK. Funding will also be provided to a voluntary returns scheme from the country. (Source: Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Specific migrant groups

After recent reports that highlighted the separation of Ukrainian families, the Home Office has reversed rules that prevented Ukrainian parents from bringing their children to the UK. (Source: Independent)

There are some items condemning public spending on asylum-related support:

• Local authorities were criticised by some media outlets after a freedom of information request revealed council spending on cultural activities for asylum seekers, including Sheffield City Council for awarding a grant to the Migration Matters festival. (Source: Telegraph)
• In examining spending on a large site for asylum accommodation, former HMP Northeye in East Sussex, the Public Accounts Committee reports a ‘dysfunctional culture’ within the Home Office has led to repeated wastes of public money. The Home Office was said to have identified over 1,000 lessons from acquisitions of large accommodation sites. The report also recognises impacts upon councils of reducing hotel use in the asylum system. (Sources: the Guardian, UK Parliament)

There’s positive reporting about the new Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill in relation to the intended repeal of certain provisions in the 2023 Illegal Migration Act relating to children, including enabling the Home Office to look after unaccompanied children and the duty to remove young people. (Source: CYP Now)

This video shows the difficulties older Hongkongers face when learning English in the UK. (Source: Green Beans Media - Cantonese with English subtitles, 18 minutes)

Cohesion and integration

An article on reframing narratives around immigration to focus on British success stories discusses benefits immigration brings, as well as how well received new migrants can be in the labour force, schools and the general community, claiming ‘we excel at settling in arrivals’, particularly in comparison to other European nations. (Source: the Observer)

In case you missed it, a poll on public attitudes to the British Empire describes differences between types of voters and age groups. Overall, the largest group (39%) felt the British Empire was something of which to be neither proud nor ashamed. The poll also asked how people feel this topic should be taught in schools. (Source: YouGov)

International news

Following the news that the US has paused refugee resettlement programmes, UN agencies UNHCR and IOM have raised concerns over Pakistan’s decision that it will deport thousands of Afghan refugees awaiting US resettlement unless their cases are processed rapidly. (Source: Associated Press)

This personal story of a young Syrian man’s attempts to reach Europe exposes the exploitative networks operating in Libya and his repeated experiences of being imprisoned and sold. (Source: the Guardian)

Stories that inspired us this week

A group of women cricketers from Afghanistan, who fled to Australia after the change of regime in their home country, are the first recipients of support from the Global Refugee Cricket Fund established by the Marylebone Cricket Club. (Source: BBC)

Swindon Borough Council invited people from a refugee background to tell their stories at Borough of Sanctuary event to help them identify how to improve support in future. (Source: Swindon Advertiser)