Windrush Generation

mostly there is nothing wrong with that!
Illegal immigrants should be returned.
It was not talking about the Windrush generation.

In what way are these people illegal? - was that explained at all in the article?

Amber Rudd and the Windrush Generation:

In a robust private memo to Theresa May just months before long-settled Windrush migrants were threatened with deportation, Rudd set out her “ambitious” plan to increase removals and focus officials on “arresting, detaining and forcibly removing illegal migrants” while “ruthlessly” prioritising Home Office resources to that programme .

The four-page document, obtained exclusively by the Guardian, reveals Rudd promised the prime minister she would oversee the forced or voluntary departure of 10% more people than May managed when she was home secretary, partly by switching money for crime-fighting to her immigration enforcement programme. Her goal implied she wanted to throw out an extra 4,000 illegal migrants every year.

www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/apr/20/amber-rudd-boasted-harsher-immigration-strategy-leak-reveals?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Jeremy Corbyn was one of just six Labour MPs who had the courage to vote against the 2014 Immigration Act which caused the Windrush Scandal.

Theresa May said in a debate on the Immigration Bill in the House of Commons October 2013:

we can deport first and hear appeals later.

www.thelondoneconomic.com/news/theresa-may-we-can-deport-first-and-hear-appeals-later/19/04/

Oldwoman today’s Guardian makes interesting reading in how well it’s being addressed - the helpline is staffed by untrained people who are referring callers back to the HO website. Where’s the scheme for compensation, where’s the detail on anything - it’s all just fuzzy warm words until it drops off the front pages and then it’ll be back to the hostile environment of the PO

I think most of those facing problems now were children when they came here, they probably don't even remember the countries they came from and have always considered themselves British. As for not having a British passport, not everyone travels abroad - I know many people who have never left the country. Some may have wished to maintain some contact with their original country and maintained a passport from that country (there are many people with duel citizenship who have passports to both countries).

This should never have happened and I am glad that it is now being addressed.

Most migrants from this region came before their country's independence and would therefore have travelled on a British Territories passports which would have conferred upon them the right to remain. Why then did the children of the initial mgrants get Jamaican or other passports when their parents came on British Territories passports and these children have lived here since before the independence of their home countries?

They have the passport of their birth country (if they have one) because a) when that country became independent their nationality changed and b) they were, at that time, given Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) in the UK. They didn't need to change their nationality, they were (and still are) legally entitled to live in the UK.

Of course, some of them might never have had passports... And many might not have been aware of the 2014 change to the legislation...change by Statutory Instrument isn't commonly heavily publicised, You might only become aware of it when it personally affects you. Like when it means you lose your job, can't rent a property or open a bank account.As has been experienced by some of the Windrush Generation.

MaiziD I agree, however, how and why have they maintained the passport of their birth country when supposedly they have no recollection of these countries. Surely the UK is there long term home so if they consider themselves as Brits, why not get a British passport, especially if they came on the passport of their parents.

these folk came here by choice, have stayed by choice

I think people are forgetting that most of the people affected are not the people who were invited to come to Britain to help in the post WW2 period but are their children. The children actually didn't have a choice; they were brought here by their parents. Some were so young that they can't possibly have any recollection of the country they came from.

publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmselect/cmhaff/427/42703.htm includes:

"The collective failure of an organisation to provide an appropriate and professional service to people because of their colour, culture, or ethnic origin. It can be seen or detected in processes, attitudes and behaviour which amount to discrimination through unwitting prejudice, ignorance, thoughtlessness and racist stereotyping which disadvantage minority ethnic people."

But why do we bother arguing.
'Entrenched belief is never altered by the facts.'
(Leo Haynes, engineer)

It seems that TM was warned about the problem by the HO
“Some non-UK born older people may have additional difficulties in providing original documentation,” it said. “Some may have had their immigration records destroyed. Some will have originally come into the country under old legislation but may have difficulty in evidencing this.”
Of course she ignored them.

It’s a side show Joel and doesn’t detract from the main issue - but nice try at victim blaming. Return to their ‘homelands’ after 50/60/70 years - do you even begin to understand the racist overtones in that phrase? I guess not.

bmacca as per my earlier posts, why, when these people have apparently lived and worked in the UK for around 50 years were they travelling on Jamaican and other passports? If they consider themselves as UK citizens surely they would have found it easy to get a British Passport which is a far better travel document to own.
I reiterate, I have sympathies, but these folk came here by choice, have stayed by choice and at least have the ability to return to their homelands if they don't like it here which opportunity the indigenous population can't do. Unless rich they have to put up with the s**t.

More heartbreaking stories from the Guardian today. So many lives have been wrecked by May's actions

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/apr/19/windrush-generation-tell-of-holidays-that-led-to-exile-and-heartbreak?CMP=share_btn_link

www.thoughtco.com/humanities-4133358 :

The term "institutional racism" describes societal patterns that impose oppressive or otherwise negative conditions on identifiable groups on the basis of race or ethnicity. Oppression may come from the government, schools or the court.
Institutional racism shouldn't be confused with individual racism, which is directed against one or a few individuals. It has the potential of negatively affecting people on a large scale, such as if a school refused to accept any African Americans on the basis of colour.

I certainly am not suggesting that those who have lived here for the 50 or more years should not stay. They have earned the right, however I am wondering what passport those people were travelling on who state they were prevented re-entry. If they were travelling on the passport of their birth country, they must have maintained its validity all this time, why didn't they get a British one...or did they, and if they did, then surely they could not have been refused re-entry.

bmacca but why if the law/policy changes were/are applicable to all former colonial countries. I think we use the term racist too rashly these days to such a point that many people ignore the true content.

I certainly think those Black people whose lives have been wrecked by these actions think it is racist, and they would be right. Another good article from the Guardian, from a journalist who is an immigrant herself.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/apr/19/windrush-theresa-may-immigrants?CMP=share_btn_link

maryeliza I would imagine that the policy/law changes were not directed specifically at black West Indians. The changes would have been applied to all former colonial countries which comprise many races, colours (even white) and creeds.

www.facebook.com/TheIndependentOnline/posts/10155967826701636

Oh sorry Joel I mistakenly thought that the WG were black - silly me

maryeliza54 I note that you constantly use the term racist inappropriately which does a disservice to those who truly suffer as a result of their race.

They have ALWAYS known they had this data so why did they not access it? They were warned in 2013 and 2015 and CHOSE to ignore it.How is this not racist?

bmacca thank you for the clarification. The government now appears to recognise that they will have historical data themselves I.e. Drs. Registrations, school enrolments etc. for the relevant periods which will confirm status for those who meet the criteria.