Mahmud is living in fear. The Iranian refugee, who fled persecution and risked his life to reach Britain, has received a letter of intent from the Home Office threatening to deport him to Rwanda. According to a report by the Socialist Worker, Mahmud wonders “what kind of life will I have in Rwanda?” after enduring a treacherous journey across multiple countries to seek asylum in the UK, reported Express.
Mahmud’s plight highlights the increasingly hostile environment faced by asylum seekers in Britain under new laws enacted by the Conservative government. The controversial legislation deems any refugee who arrived in the UK after a certain date as having entered “illegally”, even if they had no other way to escape conflict and reach safety.
“There was no other way for him to reach Britain—he didn’t have time for visas, plane tickets and documentation,” the report states. “He wonders why Ukrainian refugees had a safe welcome, but for him this was the only way to reach safety.”
After being rescued from a small boat in the English Channel last December, Mahmud was processed by authorities and placed in a hotel, where he receives just £8 per week to survive on poor quality meals. He cannot work or study, leaving him in limbo with no control over his life as he awaits a decision on his asylum claim.
Every week, Mahmud must travel to report for immigration bail at the Lunar House facility in Croydon. “He’s heard that even after people have been detained and released, the police can still turn up at your house and take you away,” the Socialist Worker reports. “The laws mean it’s harder to appeal detention, as now it is only after 28 days of detention that refugees can legally challenge it.”
At Lunar House, refugees endure long queues, security checks akin to an airport, and callous treatment from officials. “Sometimes the staff are nice. Sometimes they can be abusive. Coming here is harrowing,” the article states. One man told Mahmud, “I want to kill myself. That will probably make them happy too. They want to deport me.”
The threat of deportation to Rwanda looms large. As reported, the Home Office has begun handing out leaflets about the scheme to refugees, providing phone numbers to call if detained for removal. Protests have erupted across the UK as the government initiates raids to apprehend asylum seekers for transfer to Rwanda.
Maddie Harris of the Humans for Rights Network revealed that even those who completed Home Office questionnaires over the past two years are being arrested, according to Al Jazeera. “The arrest campaign has had a chilling effect on asylum seekers, pushing them to evade authorities and enter exploitative situations,” the report stated.
Fizza Qureshi, CEO of Migrants’ Rights Network, expressed concern that refugees are being forced to attend Home Office appointments with no guarantee of freedom, as quoted by Al Jazeera. “Raids force people underground and away from support systems, leaving them with no safe option,” she said.
The Socialist Worker article concludes that the UK asylum system “is extra trauma for Mahmud. He wants to contribute to society, he wants to work, support himself and live his life…But all Rishi Sunak is worried about is that nobody likes him.”
While the government claims its policies aim to deter illegal immigration, critics argue they only increase human suffering while playing into an anti-refugee agenda. As protests mount, the plight of asylum seekers like Mahmud trapped in Britain’s hostile system remains dire.
