Latest news with #AsylumSeekers
Irish Times
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Irish Times
International protection applicants from Pakistan added to accelerated processing list
Asylum seekers from Pakistan will have their applications fast-tracked under plans introduced on Tuesday. The Department of Justice said applications from Pakistan have grown 'considerably' in recent years. In each of the last two quarters, Pakistani nationals ranked as the second-highest nationality for international protection applications. As of July 24th, 905 people from Pakistan sought international protection in Ireland this year. This compares to 1,391 for the whole of 2024, 624 in 2023, 242 in 2022 and 68 in 2021. Since November 2022, international protection applicants from certain countries receive a decision on their application in about four months. This timeline is expected to further reduce in the coming months, said a department spokesperson. READ MORE Accelerated processing for certain international protection applications previously focused on people from 15 'safe countries of origin': Albania, Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Egypt, Georgia, India, Kosovo, Malawi, Morocco, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and South Africa. The process was more recently widened to include countries from where there has been a surge in the numbers seeking asylum, such as Nigeria and Jordan. Commenting on the addition of Pakistan to the accelerated processing list, Mr O'Callaghan said he is 'committed to ensuring that the protection system works for those who genuinely need our help'. One of the ways this is done is by prioritising applications for people from safe countries or countries with a large number of applications, he said. 'This approach allows us to adapt to the changing patterns of international protection and is a critical element of our firm but fair approach.' Mr O'Callaghan said this approach is 'working'. He noted there has been a 43 per cent reduction in application numbers compared to this time last year. A third of asylum seekers entering the State this year have had their applications considered under the fast-track decision-making process, according to figures from earlier this month . Figures shared at a meeting of the Cabinet subcommittee on migration showed 32 per cent of applications are being accelerated.
The Sun
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Sun
Migrant hotel protests spread across the country with more planned today as cops clamp down on weekend of stand-offs
MIGRANT hotel protests have spread across the country as furious citizens take to the streets to challenge illegal immigration. Yesterday protests were held across the country with demonstrations outside migrant hotels held in Norwich, Leeds, Southampton and Nottinghamshire. 3 3 Further demonstrations are planned today in Epping, Wolverhampton and Cheshire as anger over the Government's continued use of migrant hotels rises. The protests have so far remained peaceful but some minor confrontations with counter protestors were seen. A group of counter protesters wearing masks reportedly broke away from the main group at the Nottinghamshire demonstration and walked into the middle of the crowd. Some were said to be carrying 'Stand Up to Racism' placards and were escorted away by police. Further demonstrations are planned today in Epping, Wolverhampton and Cheshire as public anger over the Government's use of migrant hotels rises. Police have so far arrested 18 people and charged seven in connection with the continuous protests in Epping. The migrant hotel demonstrations began after an asylum seeker was charged with sexual assault. The man is alleged to have attempted to kiss a 14-year-old girl. Protests have spread across the country with demonstrations held earlier in the week outside the four-star Britannia Hotel in Canary Wharf. According to the latest Home Office data 32,000 asylum seekers are being housed in around 210 hotels across the country. A record 24,000 migrants have crossed the Channel so far in 2025. 3
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Government warns asylum seekers they may be made homeless if they refuse to move out of migrant hotels into alternative accommodation - as current bill costs taxpayers £5.7million per day
Asylum seekers could be made homeless if they refuse Home Office demands to move accommodation, the Government has warned. In a bid to stop migrants rejecting alternative housing without a valid reason, ministers will bring in new rules to tackle non-compliance. A 'Failure to Travel' policy will ensure illegal migrants who are moved from hotels to other 'suitable' accommodation must take it. If they refuse they could lose their housing and support, the Home Office said. Around 100 asylum seekers refuse to move accommodation each week, the Mail understands, and ministers currently have no powers to force them. Under the Conservatives, the Government threatened to remove housing and support from those who refused to move to the Bibby Stockholm barge, which is no longer in use. Labour's new plan will mirror the Tory rules, but will be applied more widely to other forms of accommodation. The 'firm but fair' policy is part of the Government's drive to end the use of expensive hotels to house asylum seekers. Chancellor Rachel Reeves has vowed to put a stop to the practice by 2029 - in a move she says will save £1billion a year. Currently, taxpayers are forking out £5.7million per day to house asylum seekers in hotels - at an average cost of £118.87 per person per night. Other accommodation, such as shared houses, is estimated to cost just £15 per night. Ministers are looking to buy tower blocks and former student accommodation to house migrants in a bid to reduce the hotel bill. More than 106,000 asylum seekers were in receipt of taxpayer-funded support as of March this year, including 32,000 in hotels. Asylum seekers are given free accommodation and a weekly allowance if the Home Office believes they would otherwise be destitute. The majority of those arriving on small boats qualify. Minister for Border Security and Asylum, Dame Angela Eagle, said: 'We inherited an asylum system on the brink of collapse - mismanaged, under strain, and costing the public a fortune. We are getting a grip. 'We are working to close hotels, restore order, and put fairness and value for money at the heart of our asylum system. This government is making those necessary decisions to protect the taxpayer and uphold the integrity of our borders. 'These reforms to the Failure to Travel policy are another example of this government's action to transform the asylum accommodation system and crack down on those who abuse our system, so it operates fairly and saves the taxpayer money.' The Mail this week reported how asylum seekers are using taxpayer handouts to fund their gambling habits. Home Office data, released to the PoliticsHome website, showed pre-paid cards given out to pay for basics including food and clothing are being used in gambling venues such as bookmakers, amusement arcades and even casinos.
The Independent
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Controversial AI technology will assess disputed ages of UK Asylum seekers
New Artificial intelligence technology will be used to assess disputed ages of asylum seekers who say they are children, the Home Office has said. The facial age estimation system will be rolled out on an initial trial basis. Ministers hope to launch it for use on migrants arriving in the UK on small boats and lorries in 2026, subject to further testing of the technology to go ahead this year. The technology, trained on millions of images of people with confirmed ages, has been decided as the 'most cost-effective option' to assess ages in such cases where it is unknown or disputed, according to border security minister Dame Angela Eagle. The announcement on Tuesday comes as the borders watchdog report into Home Office age assessments said it is 'inevitable' that some decisions will be wrong without a 'foolproof test' of chronological age. The watchdog added this is 'clearly a cause for concern, especially where a child is denied the rights and protections to which they are entitled'. Currently initial age decisions are made by Home Office staff based on a migrant's physical appearance and demeanour. Announcing the move, Dame Angela said in a written statement: 'Accurately assessing the age of individuals is an incredibly complex and difficult task, and the Home Office has spent a number of years analysing which scientific and technological methods would best assist the current process, including looking at the role that artificial intelligence (AI) technology can play. 'Early assessments suggest that Facial Age Estimation could produce workable results much quicker than other potential methods of scientific or technological age assessment, such as bone X-rays or MRI scans, but at a fraction of the cost, and with no requirement for a physical medical procedure or accompanying medical supervision.' It comes as borders watchdog David Bolt's report also published on Tuesday looked at Home Office processes into age assessments, where those crossing the English Channel and first processed at Western Jet Foil, in Dover, Kent, make up a bulk of initial age decisions. Between January 2023 and January 2025, Mr Bolt said 20 out of 59 cases where a person was sent to Manston processing centre as an adult were then later sent back to Western Jet Foil and accepted as being a child. The independent chief inspector of borders and immigration said: 'The environment at Western Jet Foil, and the physical and mental condition of the migrants after a long, arduous, and perilous journey, make the already difficult task of assessing age even more challenging.' The report, which does not cover the Home Office's fresh announcement on using artificial intelligence, calls for officials to involve interpreters, social workers and experts in the process to gain more confidence in its decisions. Mr Bolt said many organisations who advocate for children believe the initial age decision process is 'crude and cruel'. He added: 'Over the years, and again during this inspection, I have listened to young people who felt disbelieved and dismissed by the Home Office, whose hopes have been crushed, and whose mental health has suffered. 'The Home Office has an uphill task in persuading these critics that it can be trusted in this area. Committing to better communication, engagement and collaboration would be a start.' During the visit, inspectors saw examples of a lack of cultural awareness, decisions that relied on generic physical characteristics, and questioning that focused on the migrant's credibility which should not form the basis of an age decision. Mr Bolt also cited concerns from local authorities and NGOs of examples of young people who felt pressured into signing a Home Office 'statement of age' document to say they were over 18 years old, or had not understood what they had been asked to sign. The chief inspector also called for both the Home Office and its critics to agree that some initial age decisions, that are opinion, are wrong, and that some migrants lie about their age. He added that this means not having a type of initial age assessment risks incentivising more to do so, which is not in the best interests of unaccompanied asylum seeking children. Responding to the report, the Home Office accepted all recommendations, including to carry out an evaluation of initial age decision training, and publish guidance on processes needed before someone signs the 'statement of age' form. The Refugee Council welcomed the Government 's response to the report, but also called for caution over the use of AI to determine ages. Chief executive of the charity Enver Solomon said: 'We welcome the decision to abandon intrusive scientific methods like X-rays and MRI, which we have long called for, but we are not convinced that replacing them with AI tools is the answer. 'These technologies continue to raise serious questions about accuracy, ethics and fairness. 'We call on the Government to implement reforms that prioritise professional assessments led by trained social workers, which is the most accurate way to determine age and ensure that every child is properly identified, supported, and given the chance to recover and thrive.'
The Independent
7 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Artificial intelligence to be trialled for disputes over asylum seekers' ages
Artificial intelligence technology will be trialled to assess disputed ages of asylum seekers who say they are children, the Home Office has said. Ministers hope to roll out facial age estimation for migrants arriving by small boats and lorries over 2026, subject to further testing of the technology to go ahead this year. The technology, trained on millions of images of people with confirmed ages, has been decided as the 'most cost-effective option' to assess ages in such cases where it is unknown or disputed, according to border security minister Dame Angela Eagle. The announcement on Tuesday comes as the borders watchdog report into Home Office age assessments said it is 'inevitable' that some decisions will be wrong without a 'foolproof test' of chronological age. The watchdog added this is 'clearly a cause for concern, especially where a child is denied the rights and protections to which they are entitled'. Currently initial age decisions are made by Home Office staff based on a migrant's physical appearance and demeanour. Announcing the move, Dame Angela said in a written statement: 'Accurately assessing the age of individuals is an incredibly complex and difficult task, and the Home Office has spent a number of years analysing which scientific and technological methods would best assist the current process, including looking at the role that artificial intelligence (AI) technology can play. 'Early assessments suggest that Facial Age Estimation could produce workable results much quicker than other potential methods of scientific or technological age assessment, such as bone X-rays or MRI scans, but at a fraction of the cost, and with no requirement for a physical medical procedure or accompanying medical supervision.' It comes as borders watchdog David Bolt's report also published on Tuesday looked at Home Office processes into age assessments, where those crossing the English Channel and first processed at Western Jet Foil, in Dover, Kent, make up a bulk of initial age decisions. Between January 2023 and January 2025, Mr Bolt said 20 out of 59 cases where a person was sent to Manston processing centre as an adult were then later sent back to Western Jet Foil and accepted as being a child. The independent chief inspector of borders and immigration said: 'The environment at Western Jet Foil, and the physical and mental condition of the migrants after a long, arduous, and perilous journey, make the already difficult task of assessing age even more challenging.' The report, which does not cover the Home Office's fresh announcement on using artificial intelligence, calls for officials to involve interpreters, social workers and experts in the process to gain more confidence in its decisions. Mr Bolt said many organisations who advocate for children believe the initial age decision process is 'crude and cruel'. He added: 'Over the years, and again during this inspection, I have listened to young people who felt disbelieved and dismissed by the Home Office, whose hopes have been crushed, and whose mental health has suffered. 'The Home Office has an uphill task in persuading these critics that it can be trusted in this area. Committing to better communication, engagement and collaboration would be a start.' During the visit, inspectors saw examples of a lack of cultural awareness, decisions that relied on generic physical characteristics, and questioning that focused on the migrant's credibility which should not form the basis of an age decision. Mr Bolt also cited concerns from local authorities and NGOs of examples of young people who felt pressured into signing a Home Office 'statement of age' document to say they were over 18 years old, or had not understood what they had been asked to sign. The chief inspector also called for both the Home Office and its critics to agree that some initial age decisions, that are opinion, are wrong, and that some migrants lie about their age. He added that this means not having a type of initial age assessment risks incentivising more to do so, which is not in the best interests of unaccompanied asylum seeking children. Responding to the report, the Home Office accepted all recommendations, including to carry out an evaluation of initial age decision training, and publish guidance on processes needed before someone signs the 'statement of age' form. The Refugee Council welcomed the Government's response to the report, but also called for caution over the use of AI to determine ages. Chief executive of the charity Enver Solomon said: 'We welcome the decision to abandon intrusive scientific methods like X-rays and MRI, which we have long called for, but we are not convinced that replacing them with AI tools is the answer. 'These technologies continue to raise serious questions about accuracy, ethics and fairness. 'We call on the Government to implement reforms that prioritise professional assessments led by trained social workers, which is the most accurate way to determine age and ensure that every child is properly identified, supported, and given the chance to recover and thrive.'
