A new independent body will be established by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood to expedite asylum appeal decisions and reduce the backlog of pending cases. The Independent Immigration Appeals Authority (IIAA) will focus on high-priority cases, including those involving high-risk foreign offenders, human rights claims deemed to lack merit, and urgent modern slavery claims.
Scheduled to be operational by late 2027, the new system aims to streamline the process by introducing a single appeals route. Presently, asylum seekers can appeal a rejected claim and subsequently submit additional claims on new grounds before facing deportation.
With over 150,000 immigration and asylum appeals awaiting resolution, the current average case clearance time is 61 weeks. Officials emphasize that the existing system cannot sustainably handle the volume of cases.
According to Mahmood, the current appeals tribunal is overwhelmed, leading to individuals exploiting the system by filing frivolous appeals to delay their removal. The new appeals body aims to ensure prompt and fair hearings, granting legitimate claims while swiftly removing those abusing the system.
This development forms part of the anticipated Immigration and Asylum Bill, set to be presented to Parliament soon. The legislation seeks to eliminate barriers to deportations, addressing concerns raised by Mahmood regarding the system’s susceptibility to misuse and its impact on public confidence.
The proposed reforms, likely to face opposition from certain Labour MPs, include restrictions on leveraging the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) to impede deportations, particularly concerning family-related regulations. Additionally, the bill will introduce stricter age verification measures to identify adults posing as unaccompanied children entitled to local authority support.
In efforts to secure support for the reforms, the Home Secretary has pledged to establish new safe and legal pathways for refugees, such as a sponsorship scheme akin to Canada’s model, endorsed by communities and trusted universities, alongside an employer-led work initiative.
Recent scrutiny of the asylum system by MPs revealed significant challenges. The Public Accounts Committee expressed concern over asylum seekers disappearing after failed applications and highlighted the lack of local authority input in housing decisions. Despite promises to close asylum hotels, the report criticized the absence of a clear strategy for relocating asylum seekers out of these accommodations.
The Home Office’s plan to utilize ex-military sites, including MOD Bicester, RAF Barnham, and RAF Linton-on-Ouse, to accommodate asylum seekers has faced criticism from human rights groups. Kamena Dorling, Director of Policy at Helen Bamber Foundation, has raised concerns about the detrimental effects on mental and physical health when housing individuals in former military facilities.
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