The Asylum and Immigration Act of 1999 in the UK

In 1999, the U.K. passed legislation regarding immigration and asylum processes.

The Asylum and Immigration Act of 1999 was designed to completely change the United Kingdom’s immigration system, which had become overburdened and inefficient. The act mainly addressed policies regarding those seeking asylum in the U.K.

History

According to "The Guardian," a British daily newspaper, asylum claims were on the rise in the U.K. before the act was passed and there was a substantial backup of asylum seekers waiting for decisions on their cases. Also, abuses of the asylum system were on the rise.

Purpose

The act aimed to reduce the numbers of people applying for asylum for purely economic purposes--rather than those with a genuine fear of persecution or harm in their native lands--by making the process more difficult.

Asylum Seekers

The act replaced benefits for single asylum seekers with food vouchers and implemented a policy of mandatory dispersal that would assign most asylum seekers a region in which to live. Provisions were also made so that cases would have a decision within six months of the application.

Detention

The act provided immigration officials with increased powers to arrest and detain individuals in the country illegally. Space was increased in the country’s detention facilities so more people could be detained.

Criticism

Refugee rights groups found the laws regarding dispersal and food vouchers to be discriminatory. As a result, the food voucher provisions were revoked in 2002, according to "The Guardian."

References

• The Guardian: Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• The Stationery Office: Fairier, Faster and Firmer--A MODERN APPROACH TO IMMIGRATION And Asylum
• BBC News: Dispersal for asylum-seekers