The UK government has introduced stricter immigration rules, making it nearly impossible for illegal refugees to gain British citizenship. This move has triggered strong backlash from refugee charities and politicians, who argue that it unfairly punishes those seeking safety.
The Home Office updated its official guidance, stating that any refugee who has “made a dangerous journey will normally be refused citizenship.”
Previously, individuals who arrived in the UK through irregular routes had to wait ten years before applying for citizenship. However, under the new rules, those who entered the country illegally will be permanently barred from obtaining British citizenship.
The Refugee Council estimates that this policy change will prevent over 70,000 refugees from ever becoming British citizens. The group criticized the decision, saying it “flies in the face of reason.”
The updated guidance for caseworkers now explicitly states: “Any person applying for citizenship from 10 February 2025, who previously entered the UK illegally will normally be refused, regardless of the time that has passed since the illegal entry took place.”
Additionally, the Home Office outlined that “a person who applies for citizenship from 10 February 2025 who has previously arrived without a required valid entry clearance or electronic travel authorization, having made a dangerous journey will normally be refused citizenship.”
The definition of “dangerous journey” includes, but is not limited to, arriving by small boat or concealed in a vehicle.
Labour MP Stella Creasy strongly criticized the policy on social media, calling for immediate action: “This should be changed asap. If we give someone refugee status, it can’t be right to then refuse them [a] route to become a British citizen.”
“This is refusing citizenship to someone who has permission to stay indefinitely because of risk of harm. They aren’t ‘awful’. They are stateless and if this is not reconsidered, voiceless.”
Stella Creasy
Refugee advocacy groups also condemned the move. Enver Solomon, chief executive of the Refugee Council, stated: “The British public want refugees who have been given safety in our country to integrate into and contribute to their new communities.”
He pointed out that for generations, refugees have successfully built careers in the UK as doctors, entrepreneurs, and professionals, helping to enrich the country’s economy and society. He argued that blocking their citizenship would hinder integration rather than promote it.
Kolbassia Haoussou, director at Freedom from Torture, described the change as a “dark moment in British history.” He warned that the UK was taking a step backward and undermining the values it once stood for.
“Everyone deserves the chance to settle and fully integrate into society. I’m a survivor of torture, a British citizen, and I’ve even received an MBE from the late Queen. I know many people who also want to contribute to Britain, but blocking their ability to become citizens prevents refugees from fully integrating and flourishing in their new communities.”
Kolbassia Haoussou
Haoussou urged the government to reconsider its decision, calling it “profoundly disappointing and deeply damaging to the moral and cultural fabric of this country.”
Legal Challenges Likely
Legal experts believe the new policy could violate the Refugee Convention. Immigration barrister Colin Yeo said the guidance is “a clear breach” of international law, arguing that it creates “a class of person who are forever excluded from civic life no matter how long they live here.”
The Home Office’s announcement comes amid increasing criticism of the government’s immigration policies. Recently, the department faced backlash for releasing videos of immigration raids, which some accused of mimicking the tactics of Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party.
The crackdown coincides with the return of Home Secretary Yvette Cooper’s Border Security, Asylum, and Immigration Bill for a second reading in Parliament. The government also announced mass arrests of undocumented workers in various industries, including nail bars, car washes, and restaurants, as part of efforts to reinforce UK border security.
Home Office minister Dame Angela Eagle defended the crackdown, stating that the government was simply “enforcing the rules.” However, the Refugee Council accused officials of using “performative stunts” to promote division.
Dame Angela also dismissed suggestions that Labour was copying Reform UK’s hardline immigration stance, insisting that the policy was meant to send a clear message: “We are showing those that aspire to come to this country illegally that they will be caught.”
A Home Office spokesperson further justified the decision, stating: “There are already rules that can prevent those arriving illegally from gaining citizenship.”
As such, the guidance update of the Home Office further strengthens measures to make it clear that anyone who enters the UK illegally, including small boat arrivals, faces having a British citizenship application refused.
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