Migrant Action

Empowerment Advocacy Justice

Challenging vulnerability, empowering migrants

by

Fidelis Chebe (Migrant Action)  Lucy Rodwell (St Giles trust) Daniel Vincent(Peer adviser trainee)

In 2016, Daniel Vincent was twice apprehended and detained in Morton hall immigration removal center. Following the refusal of his asylum claim by the Home Office. Whilst in detention, Migrant Action provided Daniel with advocacy support and facilitated access to justice resulting in the revocation of his deportation order and release from detention. Detention was a traumatic experience for Daniel and affected his mental, physical and psychological health.

Following his release from detention, Daniel continues to seek justice whilst challenging structural injustice that create vulnerability and disempower asylum seekers and vulnerable migrants Simply, he is determined to overcome vulnerability, as such, has undertaken and completed the level 4 Information Advice and Guidance course at St Giles Trust, Leeds. He has also completed a trainee adviser placement at the Refugee Education Training and Advice Service- RETAS facilitated by Migrant Action. In his role as a volunteer and trainee adviser, Daniel provided information, guidance and practical support to refugees and new migrants. His lived experienced was integral to his volunteering and placement interactions and interventions.

Daniel’s experiences of structural violence has reinforced his passion for challenging injustice and advocacy. He is actively engaged within advocacy and social change platforms capturing the experiences of vulnerable migrants. Empowered through knowledge, practical skills and mentoring, he is keen on helping other migrants make informed choices as they navigate the complex migration pathways.

Migrant Action exists to challenge systemic injustices that create a vulnerable and hostile environment for migrants. Through information and guidance, advice and advocacy and by facilitating access to justice we enhance capacity and to navigate pathways, increase participation and social integration. We enable migrants overcome vulnerability and articulate a positive and empowering migration discourse.

 

Happy New Year from Migrant Action

Dear friends of Migrant Action,

In a few hours, we will be saying ‘good-bye’ to 2021 and ‘welcome’ to 2022. Thank you for your solidarity and support helping to strengthen Migrant Action’s advocacy and pursuit for migrants’ rights & justice in an increasingly challenging and complex environment.  The essence of our work is even more relevant now!

Context

BREXIT, the ‘New immigration bill which reinforces the ‘hostile environment’ policy targeting migrants, the Climate crisis, Covid-19, Systemic racism, negative press narratives fuelling anti-migrant sentiments by sections of the media, protracted conflicts, political violence, human rights violations, economic exploitation, and political marginalisation of the global south.   

These developments constitute a disturbing environment for migrant’s rights & justice.  Firstly, it engineers and sustains vulnerability and the precarious conditions that trigger more mobility of migrants across and within countries.   Secondly, it entrenches and exacerbates an infrastructure that undermine migrants’ capacity to access justice, deepen inequality, racial & social injustice and routinely negate migrant rights and dignity.  In essence, such an environment poses an existential threat to the dignity and humanity of migrants.

Our Response

Migrant Action is adapting and responding to this changing and complex context. We have expanded provision and adapted service delivery model to proactively support vulnerable migrants during the pandemic and beyond. We enhanced our delivery of crisis interventions to prevent homelessness & destitution, increased access to immigration advice for people with insecure immigration, increased integration support for new migrants, assisted more EU migrants to regularise their immigration status in the UK after Brexit.   Our advocacy work continues to promote equity of rights and justice for migrants. Essentially, Migrant Action continues to a lifeline and safety net for vulnerable migrants in this challenging environment.

Migrant Action has also strengthened its capacity and resilience in pursuit of transformational social change. The current context demands more urgency to challenge anti-migrant sentiments and policies, tackle structural inequalities, climate change, systemic racism, and social injustice. To this vein, our strategic advocacy through ‘Strengthening Hands’ partnerships to grow migrant ‘voice’, as well as our collaborative research, capacity building and campaign-based activities have been impactful.

Looking to the future

Migrant Action anticipates operating in an even more challenging context as it grapples with the issues undermining rights and justice. However, we have emerged from 2020/21 with more capacity and resilience to respond to present and future challenges working as a team with staff, volunteers, trustees, partners, funders and of course, those we serve- migrants.  Therefore, we look forward to 2022 with greater hope and fierceness commitment to rights and justice for migrants, a fair and humane immigration system and for a more equal, just, and peaceful society in which everyone including migrants can realize their full potential.

Dear friends, your solidarity remains invaluable and integral to our success, even more so, now!

Thank you and Happy New Year!

Fidelis Chebe

Director