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Grenfell Tower survivors ‘must have total immigration amnesty’ Grenfell Tower survivors ‘must have total immigration amnesty’
(13 days later)
Ben Quinn
Sat 15 Jul 2017 21.00 BST
Last modified on Sat 2 Dec 2017 02.58 GMT
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The government will face calls this week to grant a complete amnesty and a permanent right to remain in the UK to undocumented residents of Grenfell Tower.The government will face calls this week to grant a complete amnesty and a permanent right to remain in the UK to undocumented residents of Grenfell Tower.
Volunteers working with survivors say concerns about their migration status are still preventing some from coming forward to seek help.Volunteers working with survivors say concerns about their migration status are still preventing some from coming forward to seek help.
Councillors convening on Wednesday for the latest meeting of Chelsea and Kensington’s beleaguered council will be asked to vote on a motion calling on the government to go further than the temporary 12-month immigration “amnesty” for survivors, which was announced earlier this month by the Home Office.Councillors convening on Wednesday for the latest meeting of Chelsea and Kensington’s beleaguered council will be asked to vote on a motion calling on the government to go further than the temporary 12-month immigration “amnesty” for survivors, which was announced earlier this month by the Home Office.
The move comes as volunteer doctors working in the community affected by the fire said that they had noticed a fall-off in the number of people coming to the weekly clinics being run near to the tower.The move comes as volunteer doctors working in the community affected by the fire said that they had noticed a fall-off in the number of people coming to the weekly clinics being run near to the tower.
“We have been doing outreach work but we have not had any patients coming to the last two clinics,” said Nick Harvey of Doctors of the World, a charity that runs clinics for undocumented migrants, victims of trafficking, asylum seekers and others.“We have been doing outreach work but we have not had any patients coming to the last two clinics,” said Nick Harvey of Doctors of the World, a charity that runs clinics for undocumented migrants, victims of trafficking, asylum seekers and others.
“A lot of people seem to have gone under the radar. What we also seem to be seeing – even though Theresa May said that there would be no immigration checks on people who survived the fire – is a concern by some people about putting their name on to the NHS database, too. It’s something that people are afraid of.”“A lot of people seem to have gone under the radar. What we also seem to be seeing – even though Theresa May said that there would be no immigration checks on people who survived the fire – is a concern by some people about putting their name on to the NHS database, too. It’s something that people are afraid of.”
A spokesperson for the North Kensington Law Centre, which provides free and confidential legal advice to migrants in the community about their UK resident rights, said that it, too, was aware of Grenfell fire survivors who were concerned about their immigration status.A spokesperson for the North Kensington Law Centre, which provides free and confidential legal advice to migrants in the community about their UK resident rights, said that it, too, was aware of Grenfell fire survivors who were concerned about their immigration status.
“Since the government announcement last week, we have come into contact with some people in this situation and, if there are more of them, we want them to have the confidence to come forward and speak to us,” he added.“Since the government announcement last week, we have come into contact with some people in this situation and, if there are more of them, we want them to have the confidence to come forward and speak to us,” he added.
These are people who have experienced the most traumatic thing in their lives – they should be granted an amnesty.These are people who have experienced the most traumatic thing in their lives – they should be granted an amnesty.
The motion before Kensington and Chelsea council, which is Conservative dominated, is being moved by Labour councillor Robert Thompson, who told the Observer: “It’s a motion that will put the Tory group at odds with their own government but it is something that they should do because national policy is still failing to take the situation on the ground into account.The motion before Kensington and Chelsea council, which is Conservative dominated, is being moved by Labour councillor Robert Thompson, who told the Observer: “It’s a motion that will put the Tory group at odds with their own government but it is something that they should do because national policy is still failing to take the situation on the ground into account.
“The main concerns relate to undocumented people not coming forward because of fears about their immigration status after 12 months.“The main concerns relate to undocumented people not coming forward because of fears about their immigration status after 12 months.
“Firstly, that will have an impact on the world of the inquiry because you are potentially losing the number of eyewitnesses that could be there. Second, it’s about making sure that people are able to access the provisions that the government has put in place,” he said.“Firstly, that will have an impact on the world of the inquiry because you are potentially losing the number of eyewitnesses that could be there. Second, it’s about making sure that people are able to access the provisions that the government has put in place,” he said.
“Third, and this is the greatest issue, there is simply an argument in relation to compassion. These are people who have experienced what is likely to have been the most traumatic thing in their lives, whether they lost loved ones, or were affected in other ways, and they should be granted an amnesty.”“Third, and this is the greatest issue, there is simply an argument in relation to compassion. These are people who have experienced what is likely to have been the most traumatic thing in their lives, whether they lost loved ones, or were affected in other ways, and they should be granted an amnesty.”
Another motion put forward by Labour councillor Judith Blakeman calls on the council’s cabinet to use some of its £250m-plus reserves to provide the widest choice of permanent rehousing options for survivors of the fire, including by buying back the lease on a development of 32 homes in order to use them as social housing.Another motion put forward by Labour councillor Judith Blakeman calls on the council’s cabinet to use some of its £250m-plus reserves to provide the widest choice of permanent rehousing options for survivors of the fire, including by buying back the lease on a development of 32 homes in order to use them as social housing.
It also calls for the designation of a number of other named developments for provision of homes and for a review of plans to regenerate all other estates and blocks in North Kensington immediately.It also calls for the designation of a number of other named developments for provision of homes and for a review of plans to regenerate all other estates and blocks in North Kensington immediately.
Grenfell Tower fireGrenfell Tower fire
The ObserverThe Observer
Immigration and asylumImmigration and asylum
DoctorsDoctors
HealthHealth
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