We had a fruitful meeting concerning the real plight of Asylum Seekers. It was well attended.
Key issues discussed include:
- the right to work for asylum seekers
Shiellah from ZHRO - detention system
- signing in and how individuals get picked up by immigration officers
- high legal costs for those appealing denied cases
- housing
- mental health issues
- families
- vulnerable people
- long term illnesses
What can be done
- Lift the ban( on employment) which has already started
- Petition to be started on grant amnesty to all undocumented migrants so they can be self sufficient.
- Campaign with councils to fund a programme with CAB to give free legal help to those asylum seekers , refugees and immigrants
- Work with housing societies, to get supported housing for refugees.
- Raise awareness through empowerment programme
- Create sign in solidarity system which can support those signing in
- Here in Cambridge we have one central point, the main police station.
- Mobilisation of people with influence.
Who Came to Listen
The meeting was attended by City Councillors,Academics, Feminist groups, Cambridge Refugees Council, Migrants Organise, Global Justice Now, Right to Remain, Anti Racist activists, Quakers movement, Cambridge care, Cambridge Ethnic Community Forum, Church leaders.