Former Home Secretaries of the UK, Priti Patel and Suella Braverman, face accusations of overseeing a clandestine policy denying around 1,600 trafficking victims their right to reside in the country, as per media reports.
This alleged action by the Home Office occurred despite a November 2021 high court ruling that mandated granting discretionary leave to confirmed trafficking victims awaiting asylum decisions, as reported by The Guardian. At a recent hearing, Patel and Braverman were accused of unlawfully neglecting to issue these decisions, leaving victims unable to access employment, education, or mainstream benefits.
The report highlighted the case of a 22-year-old trafficking victim, represented by the charity Asylum Aid, who escaped drug traffickers in Albania at the age of 16. Despite facing threats to himself and his family, he was allegedly denied leave to remain for nearly 18 months due to the secret policy.
The counsel for the Home Secretary argued in response that they were awaiting the outcomes of appeals to the court of appeal and supreme court against the November 2021 ruling before taking action. Cathryn McGahey, representing the home secretary, clarified, “This case is about delay. It is not a case about secret or unpublished policies.”
Internal Home Office documents revealed officials recommending that decisions on granting leave to remain should be put "on hold," according to The Guardian. An email from a Home Office official in July 2022 stated, “All discretionary leave decisions affected by (the November 2021 ruling) currently remain on hold."
The court was informed that it is "unlawful to operate an unpublished policy which is inconsistent with public policy," by the counsel representing the 22-year-old victim. The accusations highlight concerns over delays and alleged secretive policies affecting vulnerable individuals seeking refuge in the UK.
(With Agency Inputs)
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