Responding to the Illegal Migration Bill, Shameem Ahmad, CEO of the Public Law Project said: “We call on the Government to scrap the Illegal Migration Bill. This Bill, if enacted will be ineffective and unjust; the exact opposite of what a fair and humane immigration system should look like.

“How the UK Government treats people fleeing war and terror reflects our national values and informs our international reputation. It is a part of our history that the UK joined other sovereign nations to share responsibility for making the world a better and safer place.

“By legislating for blanket detention and removals, and barring people who arrive by boat from making asylum claims, the Government is abrogating those international responsibilities.

“This Bill will cause harm to people who we should be supporting and – as even the Government acknowledges – it may be unlawful due to incompatibility with the Human Rights Act.

“The Bill has the potential to exacerbate anti-immigration rhetoric, the consequences of which will likely be felt by those most vulnerable and marginalised in society.”

For further information and enquiries please contact Luke Robins-Grace on 07808159200