'Adopt an ethical immigration programme that treats people fairly'
 

The call to British and Irish governments came from the Churches’ Refugee Network (CRN), which consists of a growing number of British and Irish church-related organisations who share a commitment to support and advocate for refugees

It came after the CRN met on 19 January to explore the importance of offering sanctuary and hospitality to the most marginalised individuals and groups in society. 

The meeting took place against a backdrop of heightened concern over immigration and asylum matters on both sides of the Irish Sea. For instance, the recent upsurge of dangerous Channel boat crossings has seen the British Government harden its stance on those seeking asylum in the UK. A key response has been the fast-track (return) of those claiming asylum from Albania, a country deemed ‘safe’ by those at the Home Office.

Current British Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, has also reiterated her support for the UK Government’s Rwanda plan, which like the Channel response, aims to deter all those not deemed ‘genuine’ asylum seekers.

The meeting, chaired by the Rt Revd Dr John Perumbalath, Bishop-designate of Liverpool, featured a presentation from Jonny Clark, a public theologian from the Corrymeela community in Northern Ireland. Mr Clark spoke about how the Old Testament Book of Ruth can be used as an allegory for supporting sanctuary and hospitality within contemporary contexts.

Mr Clark, who has significant experience in mediation and conciliation within an Irish faith context, noted that the Bible was full of verses that called on people 'to show compassion to those fleeing danger.'

He also pointed out the Bible speaks of the personal and collective responsibility to care for the most vulnerable, not to outsource this to third party countries, as in the case of Rwanda.

CRN issued a statement following the meeting, saying how it 'believes that all those fleeing peril should be treated with compassion and given the support they need to get their lives back on track.

?'As such the CRN is calling on the British and Irish Governments to adopt an ethical immigration programme that treats people fairly, and with the dignity they deserve.'

The statement continued, 'The CRN is encouraging the British Government to abandon the Rwanda programme, as it clearly abrogates the UK’s responsibility to help vulnerable people seeking asylum.

'What's more the CRN believes that the £120 million invested in this (Rwandan) scheme could be better spent on resourcing underfunded aspects of the British asylum system, such as having a greater number of better trained case workers.'

The CRN said it recognises the pressures that an influx of newcomers can place on struggling communities: 'Emergency accommodation and social housing for people seeking asylum are more likely to be located among some of the most deprived neighbourhoods in Britain and Ireland, which can lead to resentment from communities who are feeling neglected by government and left behind. These tensions have, in places, manifested in hostility and at times racist hate crimes.'

With this in mind, the CRN is calling on governments to 'properly support' those poorer communities that are being asked to welcome some of the most vulnerable people in society.

Similarly, it is urging for more to be done to break down 'barriers of suspicion, and create opportunities for encounter between existing communities and newcomers to create community cohesion', the statement added.

The Churches’ Refugee Network (CRN) encourages churches in Britain and Ireland to proactively engage in issues linked to asylum, refugees and migration per se.

The network consists of a growing number of church-related organisations who share a commitment to support and advocate for refugees, both those overseas and those who have come to these islands. The CRN was established because of the importance and value of collaboration, sharing and coordination.

CRN is a project of Churches Together in Britain and Ireland