UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has announced that applications for refugee family reunions in Britain will be temporarily suspended until new, stricter rules are introduced. She explained that the current regulations, originally designed decades ago to help families separated by war and persecution, are now being used differently and are putting additional pressure on local authorities. Of particular concern is the growing number of applications submitted immediately after protection is granted, which, according to Cooper, leads to an increase in family homelessness cases and fuels the activity of smuggling networks that use the promise of reunion to encourage dangerous small-boat crossings, reports The WP Times with reference to The Guardian.
Cooper pointed out that in countries such as Denmark and Switzerland, refugees are not allowed to apply for family reunification until at least two years after receiving protection. In the UK, however, such applications often arrive just a month after the decision, sometimes even before the refugee leaves asylum accommodation. This, she stressed, creates unequal conditions between refugees and British citizens. The government now intends to reform the scheme by introducing longer waiting periods, contribution requirements, and special mechanisms for unaccompanied children or those fleeing persecution with relatives already in the UK.
The Home Secretary emphasized that family reunions remain an important policy goal, but the immediate priority is to reduce pressure on local councils and stop criminal groups from exploiting the system. New immigration rules will be published this week. In the meantime, refugees will be subject to the same family migration regulations as other applicants. Cooper added that the new framework is expected to be in place by spring next year.
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