Illegal Migration Bill 2023

The resources below are intended to help researchers, practitioners, policy makers and the general public understand the full impact and ramifications of the Illegal Migration Bill introduced by the UK government in March 2023.

MMB blog:

“An asylum ban”: why the Illegal Migration Bill must be stopped‘ by Bridget Anderson, MMB Director. 4th April 2023.

Illegal Migration Bill – Emergency Discussion

Friday 31st March

MMB organised an emergency online discussion to outline key aspects of the Bill, why it matters – for all of us and not only people seeking refuge – and what can be done. The meeting initiated a conversation about the role of academic research on migration at a time of legitimised hostility to migrants and people who work with them.

Chair: Professor Bridget Anderson, MMB Director. Speakers: Colin Yeo, Immigration barrister and founder and editor of the Free Movement website, Ann Singleton, MMB Policy Strategic Lead and Reader in Migration Policy, University of Bristol, and Andrew McCarthy, Head of Services, Bristol Refugee Rights.

Watch a recording of the discussion here:

A message from our speaker Andrew McCarthy (Bristol Refugee Rights):

‘The huge delays in Home Office decision making and the increased use of hotel accommodation means the number of people locally needing Bristol Refugee Rights services has increased five fold since the start of the pandemic. If you are able to support please visit our JustGiving page.’

Further resources

UK Parliament: The Bill

UK Parliament: Explanatory notes

UK Parliament: Second Reading debate

UK Parliament – Human Rights (Joint Committee): Legislative Scrutiny: Illegal Migration Bill.

Institute for Government: Illegal Migration Bill highlights how expectations of legislative scrutiny have plummeted.

Free Movement blog: What is in the Illegal Migration Bill?

Free Movement video: Illegal Migration Bill discussion with Colin Yeo and Sonia Lenegan.

ILPA: Briefing on Illegal Migration Bill for second reading in the House of Commons on 13 March 2023.

Public Law Project: Briefing on the Illegal Migration Bill House of Commons second reading.

JWCI paper: Who are the UK’s undocumented population?

The Bristol Cable: ‘The Illegal Migration Bill is deeply cruel and will inflame extremism.’

UNHCR: Statement on UK Asylum Bill.

IOM: Statement on UK’s Illegal Migration Bill.

Garden Court Chambers: Implications of the Illegal Migration Bill – Part One.

Garden Court Chambers: Implications of the Illegal Migration Bill – Part Two.

UK Government Home Office: Illegal Migration Bill: European Convention on Human Rights Memorandum.

Missing Migrants Project: Migration Within Europe – English Channel to the UK.