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| Rally highlights migrants' plight | |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Thousands of people are taking part in a church service and march in London to draw attention to the exploitation of illegal migrant workers. | |
| The Archbishop of Westminster has celebrated the special Mass for Migrants at Westminster Cathedral. | |
| It was being followed by a march and rally at Trafalgar Square. | |
| Campaigners say some visa overstayers and failed asylum seekers have made an undocumented contribution to society and want laws to legalise their status. | Campaigners say some visa overstayers and failed asylum seekers have made an undocumented contribution to society and want laws to legalise their status. |
| But immigration minister Liam Byrne has said such a move would put too much pressure on local services and "severely damage" the UK. | But immigration minister Liam Byrne has said such a move would put too much pressure on local services and "severely damage" the UK. |
| Estimates vary widely as to how many illegal immigrants are living in the UK. The Home Office estimates up to 570,000, while pressure group Migration Watch puts the figure at up to 870,000. | Estimates vary widely as to how many illegal immigrants are living in the UK. The Home Office estimates up to 570,000, while pressure group Migration Watch puts the figure at up to 870,000. |
| You don't achieve anything if you simply replace them with another lot who get exploited Andrew Green, Migration Watch | |
| March organisers say there are about 300,000 people who have "earned" the right to stay. | March organisers say there are about 300,000 people who have "earned" the right to stay. |
| Illegal migrants are exploited by employers who pay them poverty wages, undercutting British workers and depriving the country of millions of pounds of tax revenue, they contend. | |
| They want a one-off amnesty for those who have worked in the UK for more than four years that would see them given two-year work permits, potentially paving the way for citizenship. | They want a one-off amnesty for those who have worked in the UK for more than four years that would see them given two-year work permits, potentially paving the way for citizenship. |
| Musician Billy Bragg, who is among those due to address the rally, said such a move would build social cohesion. | |
| "I believe [it] outweighs the cost to the welfare state that these people will be paying for themselves out of their own taxes," he said. | |
| But Sir Andrew Green from Migration Watch said the move would be counterproductive. | |
| "Difficult though the present situation is with people being exploited, you don't achieve anything if you simply replace them with another lot who get exploited," he said. | |
| 'Not right' | 'Not right' |
| The Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor, said in "no way" did he intend to encourage illegal immigration. | The Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor, said in "no way" did he intend to encourage illegal immigration. |
| Many of them are married, settled down and so they live in a kind of shadow land Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor | Many of them are married, settled down and so they live in a kind of shadow land Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor |
| But he said many illegal immigrants had already been in the UK for years and "their rights should be protected". | But he said many illegal immigrants had already been in the UK for years and "their rights should be protected". |
| He told the BBC: "I think a way's got to be found whereby they can become citizens and have the advantages of that... | He told the BBC: "I think a way's got to be found whereby they can become citizens and have the advantages of that... |
| "Many of them are married, settled down and so they live in a kind of shadow land. That's not right and it's not fair." | "Many of them are married, settled down and so they live in a kind of shadow land. That's not right and it's not fair." |
| The event is being held in support of the Strangers into Citizens campaign. | The event is being held in support of the Strangers into Citizens campaign. |
| An amnesty would also help reduce the huge backlog of cases in the immigration system, it says. | An amnesty would also help reduce the huge backlog of cases in the immigration system, it says. |