Immigration news

US President-elect, Joe Biden, has promised to immediately scrap a controversial US visa travel ban imposed on several Muslim-majority nations under the Trump administration. The ban currently applies to 13 countries, most of which are Muslim-majority or African nations.

 

Current Borders and UK Immigration chief inspector, David Bolt, has extended his term in the post. Full story, here.

 

Current Borders and UK Immigration Chief Inspector (ICIBI), David Bolt, has agreed to extend his time in the role until his replacement is found. Mr Bolt is set to step down this year but has agreed to remain in the post amid a ‘recruitment competition’ to appoint a new Chief Inspector.

Two Cambridge University institutions have been accused of supporting the Home Office’s UK Visa and Immigration (UKVI) department’s hostile environment policy. The Cambridge Centre for Data-Driven Discovery (CD23) and Cambridge Neuroscience reportedly advertised jobs with the Border Vision Advisory Group (BVAG).

 

The BVAG describes itself as an ‘operational command of the Home Office.’ The adverts were initially circulated by email on 5 October and were then posted online across departments at CD23 and Cambridge Neuroscience, seeking ‘academic experts’ to help create ‘innovative border technology.’

New information published by the Home Office shows that just 12% of Windrush compensation claimants have received a pay-out. According to official figures, published on 29 October, 71 claims have been made for people who have died, but only three have been compensated.

 

The information also shows that a total of 1,587 claims have been made up until the end of September, with £1,619,291.42 paid out to 196 people, representing just 12% of people who have applied to the Windrush compensation scheme.

Hundreds of people are reportedly being refused Irish visas amid fears that they will use Irish immigration status to enter the UK mainland. New figures show that Ireland is seemingly helping the British government enforce its anti-immigration policies.

 

Previously unseen data, obtained by VICE News, shows a spike in UK visa refusals, while hundreds more were denied entry upon landing in Irish airports, on grounds that they ‘might travel onward’ to the UK.

New measures proposed by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which seek to restrict US visa access for foreign journalists, have been blasted by the Russian embassy in America. The Trump administration sought to tighten US visa access for foreign journalists amid an ongoing tit-for-tat spat with China.