The Guardian recently published an article on how the loss of right to family reunification will impact unaccompanied asylum seekers, who are waiting at the UK borders. The article coincided with the parliament vote on Lord Dub's, a former child refugee, amendment to protect this right of unaccompanied minors.
The article highlights how many unaccompanied minors, despite their right to family reunification under EU law, are forced to stay for months or even years in camps such as Moria in Greece. The living conditions in these camps are more than inappropriate as people are forced to sleep on the cold ground without proper tents, electricity or access to health care. Ahmed, a 17-year-old-refugee from Syria was one of these minors staying in Moria until Guardian met him.
"After we approached the Home Office and asked why Ahmed was homeless on the streets of Lesbos instead of with his family, the department wrote to the Greek authorities offering help in getting Ahmed on a plane. Within a day of our story being published, he was given a date for a flight."
But then why do so many minors are forced to stay in dangerous camps or sleep on the streets for months? Over the years several barriers have been created, which makes family reunification harder:
- The rejection of Lord Dubs amendment to allow local authority to care for unaccompanied minors
- When the Calais "Jungle" was destroyed the Home Office tried every way to stop young people from joining their families
- The lack of legal routes to enter the country: in the past 10 years over 10,000 young people have arrived to the UK via irregular routes and only 1000 with government schemes, which ensure their safety
Once Brexit will be final, the UK law has even stricter conditions for family reunification, not allowing to join aunts or uncles or not even siblings. The current home secretary, Priti Patel has promised a fairer asylum system and the closure of irregular routes after the UK leaves the EU.
