UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – The British government has frozen over 6,000 Syrian asylum claims, leaving thousands in legal limbo amid uncertainty over Syria’s leadership change.
As reported by The Guardian, thousands of Syrian asylum seekers remain in legal limbo in the UK as the government’s hold continues following the collapse of Assad’s regime.
Will the UK government resolve the freeze on 6,600 Syrian asylum claims?
After the rebel takeover of Damascus, the Home Office announced on 9 December that it was pausing Syrian asylum applications to review the situation.
The future remains unclear as Ahmed al-Sharaa, also known as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, takes office as president, as his group is still classified as a terrorist organization by Britain and several other states.
According to an Observer analysis of official data, the UK has put at least 6,600 applications, many involving multiple people, on hold, delaying the immigration process. As more refugees reach Britain by sea, leading charities and lawyers are urging officials to address the backlog.
What did Home Office minister Lord Hanson say about Syrian asylum seekers?
Speaking in the House of Lords last month, Home Office Minister Lord Hanson said that the majority of Syrians who arrived in Britain before Assad’s collapse “were fleeing the Assad regime.”
The Home Office has yet to announce when asylum processing will resume following a pause in interviews. Mr Hanson stated,
“This was and remains a necessary step that several other European countries have also taken,”
Adding.
“The pause is under constant review. When there is a clear basis for making decisions, we will resume.”
He emphasized that the asylum process is on hold due to uncertainty over Syria’s long-term stability.
What did former Syrian Colonel Hassan say about the UK’s Asylum freeze and the new regime?
A former colonel in the Syrian Arab Army, Hassan, fled Syria but says he is still at risk from all sides of the ongoing war.
Mr Hassan, who entered the UK on a small boat two years ago, was granted asylum last year. However, the Home Office withdrew his status due to a minor clerical error. The mistake was never corrected before the fall of Assad’s regime, leaving his application in limbo amid the asylum freeze.
He added,
“People who arrived months after me have got residency and the right to reunite with their families, but I am still waiting.”
While referring to the ex-former Assad regime, Mr Hassan said,
“I was never a supporter of the former regime and I lost everything, but I do not accept living in a country ruled by extremists and knowing that my fate will be death.”
Mr Hassan acknowledged that some Syrians intended to return after the regime change, but as a former Assad army colonel, he made it clear that he and his family had no option of returning.
What did the Home Office insider reveal about the political motives behind the asylum freeze?
An anonymous Home Office source slammed the British government for deliberately freezing lives amid internal disagreement on how to handle Syria’s new regime.
He stated,
“They are basically holding asylum applicants captive until the Foreign Office figures out what the international stance is.”
The civil servant warned that asylum seekers remain jobless while the government bears the financial burden of their housing and welfare. The freeze cannot be lifted until new asylum guidelines are developed, but the Home Office website has currently removed all Syria-related documents.
What are the Refugee Council’s views about the asylum freeze?
The Refugee Council pushed the government to identify new methods for processing asylum applications. Jon Featonby, from the Refugee Council, stated that a prolonged state of limbo is causing hardship for asylum seekers.
Mr Featonby stated,
“We recognise that the situation has changed quite significantly but many people have already been stuck in the asylum system for a long time, and are now caught up in this uncertainty.”
What did Care4Calais CEO Steve Smith say about the UK’s asylum pause?
Steve Smith, head of the Care4Calais charity, urged the British government to resume processing asylum applications.
Mr Smith stated,
“The decision to pause the asylum claims of Syrian refugees is essentially an admission from the government that they cannot guarantee Syria is safe under the new political regime.”
What was the UK’s government stance on asylum claims?
A representative from the Home Office stated,
“The Home Office has temporarily paused decisions on Syrian asylum applications while we assess the current situation. We are dedicated to a fair asylum system that addresses all forms of persecution and ensures sustainable decisions.”
Number of Syrians granted asylum in Britain
The British government has granted asylum to more than 30,000 Syrians from 2011 to 2021. It was reported that the majority of these refugees came directly from countries like Turkey and Lebanon via the humanitarian programs established by the Home Office.