Open letter from Haringey migrant/refugee organisations
As Haringey-based voluntary and community organisations working with and for refugees and migrants, we are very concerned that after 8th June a new Government may seek to water down current commitments on refugee resettlement. We are also worried about the wider implications of Brexit for refugees and migrants in Haringey.
In November 2016 Haringey Council committed to resettle ten Syrian families through the Government scheme. The first of these families is due to arrive on 7th June - the day before the election. If resettlement commitments are not honoured by the next Government, the scheme will end, and we have therefore contacted candidates in both Hornsey & Wood Green and Tottenham constituencies asking them to commit to the following pledges:
Keep the present Government’s pledge to resettle 20,000 Syrian refugees and 3,000 vulnerable children by 2020
Extend the current 20,000 pledge by another 8,000 for the life of the new Parliament (an additional 4,000 refugees per year to 2022)
Re-establish the Dubs’ Amendment to help lone child refugees in Europe
Improve living conditions for asylum seekers and waiting times for asylum applications
End indefinite detention and secret deportation of migrants and refugees
Kind regards,
Gloria Saffrey, Director, CARIS
Wayne Myslik, Chief Executive, Migrants Resource Centre
Pauline Hawkes, Director, Phoenix Community Care
Rose Bernstein, Lucy Nabijou, Co-ordinators, Refugees Welcome Haringey
Sona Mahtani, Chief Executive, Selby Trust