This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/dec/16/hundreds-calais-child-refugees-uk-asylum-claims-rejected-home-office
The article has changed 10 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Hundreds of Calais child refugees have UK asylum claims rejected Hundreds of Calais child refugees have UK asylum claims rejected | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Hundreds of child asylum seekers in France who had been expecting to come to the UK have been told that the Home Office has rejected their claims. | Hundreds of child asylum seekers in France who had been expecting to come to the UK have been told that the Home Office has rejected their claims. |
| The children and teenagers dispersed from Calais in October have been advised to lodge their applications in France instead. | The children and teenagers dispersed from Calais in October have been advised to lodge their applications in France instead. |
| The Home Office has said 750 children have been brought to the UK, but 1,900 were registered after the Calais refugee camp was demolished. | The Home Office has said 750 children have been brought to the UK, but 1,900 were registered after the Calais refugee camp was demolished. |
| One 15-year-old Eritrean boy, Taher, said all 14 boys in his centre run by the Taizé community, a monastic order, were devastated by the news. “I have been on hunger strike since Sunday, drinking only water and coffee to protest about the unfairness of the Home Office keeping us waiting for so long. We haven’t been able to go to school or anything while we have been waiting. And now we have heard this very bad news.” | One 15-year-old Eritrean boy, Taher, said all 14 boys in his centre run by the Taizé community, a monastic order, were devastated by the news. “I have been on hunger strike since Sunday, drinking only water and coffee to protest about the unfairness of the Home Office keeping us waiting for so long. We haven’t been able to go to school or anything while we have been waiting. And now we have heard this very bad news.” |
| He said many of the boys were planning to run away rather than claim asylum in France, where they were distrustful of the authorities after witnessing police violence against inhabitants of the Calais camp. | He said many of the boys were planning to run away rather than claim asylum in France, where they were distrustful of the authorities after witnessing police violence against inhabitants of the Calais camp. |
| “Some will try to get to the UK on a lorry from Belgium. I think I will go back to Calais and try to get to England that way,” Taher said. | “Some will try to get to the UK on a lorry from Belgium. I think I will go back to Calais and try to get to England that way,” Taher said. |
| Toufique Hossain, the director of public law at UK-based Duncan Lewis solicitors, who is representing a large number of asylum seeker children dispersed across France, said he and his team had received reports on Friday from more than 12 children they are representing, all of whom are at different centres. | Toufique Hossain, the director of public law at UK-based Duncan Lewis solicitors, who is representing a large number of asylum seeker children dispersed across France, said he and his team had received reports on Friday from more than 12 children they are representing, all of whom are at different centres. |
| “From the reports we have received it seems as if this is an organised operation between the Home Office and the French authorities. The children have been told verbally that their asylum claims have not succeeded, but they have not been given any reasons why in writing. This is absolutely shocking.” | “From the reports we have received it seems as if this is an organised operation between the Home Office and the French authorities. The children have been told verbally that their asylum claims have not succeeded, but they have not been given any reasons why in writing. This is absolutely shocking.” |
| Hossain added: “The children are very upset but we are telling them not to run away.” | Hossain added: “The children are very upset but we are telling them not to run away.” |
| Although the Home Office recently issued guidance saying it would prioritise under-15s from Sudan and Syria, he said he assumed that officials would then consider the cases of the other children dispersed around France. | Although the Home Office recently issued guidance saying it would prioritise under-15s from Sudan and Syria, he said he assumed that officials would then consider the cases of the other children dispersed around France. |
| “These children are very vulnerable. They have just been told verbally that they can’t come to England without an appropriate adult present to help them deal with this news. We are now looking to see what we can do legally to challenge the fact that the Home Office have failed to provide us with written reasons why they have rejected the children’s asylum claims.” | “These children are very vulnerable. They have just been told verbally that they can’t come to England without an appropriate adult present to help them deal with this news. We are now looking to see what we can do legally to challenge the fact that the Home Office have failed to provide us with written reasons why they have rejected the children’s asylum claims.” |
| Rebecca Carr, Taher’s legal representative, said he was a highly intelligent boy who had been offered a scholarship at a school in the UK if he was able to get there. He has worked hard to learn English. She said the fear now was that many of the children will run away after receiving the news. | Rebecca Carr, Taher’s legal representative, said he was a highly intelligent boy who had been offered a scholarship at a school in the UK if he was able to get there. He has worked hard to learn English. She said the fear now was that many of the children will run away after receiving the news. |
| “I’ve been waiting and hoping for more than three months that I will be able to come to England,” said Taher. “I was in Calais for two months and have been in this centre for more than one month. There are 14 of us here who have received this bad news. The British government and the Home Office have been playing games with us. It has always been my dream to come to the UK because I love hearing British accents. | “I’ve been waiting and hoping for more than three months that I will be able to come to England,” said Taher. “I was in Calais for two months and have been in this centre for more than one month. There are 14 of us here who have received this bad news. The British government and the Home Office have been playing games with us. It has always been my dream to come to the UK because I love hearing British accents. |
| “Whenever I hear a British accent I feel happy so I think if I can come to the UK and hear British accents all the time I will be happy for the rest of my life. If I can come to the UK I want to study to be a doctor so I can help people. And I love Manchester City and One Direction and can see them if I reach the UK.” | “Whenever I hear a British accent I feel happy so I think if I can come to the UK and hear British accents all the time I will be happy for the rest of my life. If I can come to the UK I want to study to be a doctor so I can help people. And I love Manchester City and One Direction and can see them if I reach the UK.” |
| A busload of child asylum seekers were brought from France to the UK last Friday, but it is thought that was the last of the Calais transfers. | A busload of child asylum seekers were brought from France to the UK last Friday, but it is thought that was the last of the Calais transfers. |
| The immigration minister, Robert Goodwill, said more than 750 refugee children from Calais had arrived in the UK. Officials said all the children taken from the camp in early November had been interviewed and those eligible to enter the UK had been moved. | The immigration minister, Robert Goodwill, said more than 750 refugee children from Calais had arrived in the UK. Officials said all the children taken from the camp in early November had been interviewed and those eligible to enter the UK had been moved. |
| Charities have expressed concern about the children left behind and warned that more unofficial camps will spring up. | Charities have expressed concern about the children left behind and warned that more unofficial camps will spring up. |