Immigration & Asylum
Immigration and asylum resonate deeply in our national debate — touching on compassion, order, and the dignity of every person. This section brings you the latest UK policy context, thoughtful biblical reflection, detailed statistics, and clear action paths all framed through a morally conservative but socially liberal lens.
Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill (2024–25)
Type: Government Bill
Sponsoring Department: Home Office (under Labour, led by Yvette Cooper)
Current Stage: Passed through the House of Commons and currently at Committee Stage in the House of Lords as of 17 July 2025. Final readings in the Lords and Royal Assent pending.
Scope: A wide-ranging bill covering: Border security and law enforcement; Asylum processing and appeal procedures; Immigration enforcement powers; Data-sharing (customs and trailer registration); Serious crime prevention and equipment seizures; International qualifications recognition and fees
Key Provisions Related to Immigration & Asylum:
Introduces accelerated asylum claim processing for applicants from countries deemed “safe,” reducing appeal rights and fast-tracking removals.
Strengthens powers to detain and remove migrants considered to have entered illegally.
Expands data sharing between immigration, customs, and police forces.
Allows biometric data collection and monitoring equipment for border enforcement.
Introduces new offences for knowingly facilitating illegal entry.
Grants authority to designate countries as “safe” via secondary legislation.
Strengths / What’s Good:
It could reduce the massive asylum backlog, particularly for manifestly unfounded claims.
Introduces a clearer triage system between genuine asylum seekers and economic migrants.
Emphasises cross-departmental data coordination, which could improve trafficking prevention.
Aligns with EU/US frameworks on “safe country” lists.
Concerns / What to Watch For:
Reduces appeal safeguards, especially risky for persecuted minorities from countries arbitrarily designated “safe.”
“Safe country” designation powers are held by ministers with limited parliamentary scrutiny.
Fast-tracked deportations may increase the risk of wrongful removals.
Does not include structural commitments to improve asylum accommodation, integration, or community support.
Lacks clarity on protections for stateless children, vulnerable dependents, or LGBTQ+ asylum seekers from technically “safe” states.
Figures
108,138 people claimed asylum in the UK in 2024, marking an 18% increase from 2023 and exceeding the previous record from 2002
84,231 were main applicants with the rest dependents
39,616 individuals were granted protection at initial decision in 2024 — a drop of 37% from 2023’s 63,008, leaving the grant rate at 47%
The backlog of supported asylum seekers currently stands at approximately 112,000, with around 38,000 housed in hotels, costing the taxpayer, on average, over £49 per week per person
Small boat crossings have soared since 2018: 172,255 people have arrived via the Channel since then
Asylum seekers made up 16% of UK immigration in 2024, or 19% including humanitarian routes
Net migration reached record levels (685,000 in 2023), prompting plans like the Illegal Migration Act 2023 and Rwanda Act 2024 to manage irregular entry
What’s Happening in UK Policy?
Why It Matters
Immigration and asylum offer a moral crossroads for nations — do we act in fear or in faith?
Compassion is commanded (Matthew 25:35) — but so is wise stewardship of order and resources (Romans 13:1–7).
The vulnerable include refugees fleeing violence, unaccompanied children, trafficked victims - and yet there are real systemic costs.
Hospitality is a virtue, but so is responsible governance.
Policy alone won’t solve deep trauma — mental health, housing, legal clarity, and community integration matter.
Biblical Principles
Welcoming the stranger
“The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself…” — Leviticus 19:34
“I was a stranger and you invited me in.” — Matthew 25:35
Justice & Protecting the weak
“Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed.” — Psalm 82:3
Vulnerable asylum seekers – minors, victims of trafficking, persecuted minorities – fall into this category.
Government's role
“Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities…” — Romans 13:1
This affirms the need for lawful, orderly processes in migration policy.
Wise stewardship
Proverbs 31:8–9: Speak up for the voiceless — includes refugees.
1 Timothy 5:8: Provision for those in your household — echoes national responsibility for accommodation and care.
Mini Reflection
Every asylum seeker arriving at our shores represents a life made in God’s image, worthy of dignity and safe refuge. Yet we must balance welcome with wisdom, compassion with structure. A morally conservative but socially liberal approach calls us to open hearts and implement processes. We affirm: God’s love knows no borders, but states must steward borders. This tension demands both loving hospitals and lawful systems.
It is vital to remember: immigration is not monolithic. When people come to the UK, they arrive from across the spectrum — from cleaners to surgeons, from caregivers to coders. Yet the public conversation, fuelled by media and political narratives, often focuses only on the bottom rung — the undocumented, the desperate, or the burdened. This is not only unfair; it's untrue. The UK benefits enormously from highly skilled, trained, and qualified immigrants who support everything from the NHS to AI innovation. A vision for immigration must be both realistic and honouring.
When it comes to asylum, we lead with compassion, empathy, and refuge — reflecting the heart of God. “You shall love the foreigner, for you were foreigners in Egypt” (Deut. 10:19). But biblical compassion is also intentional. God loves a cheerful giver (2 Cor. 9:7), not a coerced one. A nation must retain the right to say no, so it can mean yes with integrity. Open borders with no regulation risk shifting the responsibility for compassion from willing communities to a forced taxpayer base, making some accountable for others without choice.
The UK must never become protectionist, hoarding privilege behind its history. But neither should it be naively open to unsustainable models. Instead, we must build a meritocratic model, discerning wisely and welcoming generously. If we want this country to be great, we must attract the greatest, not just economically, but ethically, civically, and relationally.
Finally, we must distinguish between asylum and general immigration. While asylum is rooted in protection, most immigrants come to the UK to work. They pay taxes, fuel industries, care for children and elderly, and contribute far more economically than they take. We honour God not by fearfully guarding our borders but by wisely opening our gates to those who enrich, serve, and build alongside us.
Morally Conservative & Socially Liberal
Support authentic protection for persecuted refugees: women fleeing violence, religious freedom victims persecuted abroad, human rights defenders and people trafficked.
Dismantle exploitative smuggling: strengthen legal pathways, not punitive blocking.
Improve asylum processing: increase caseworker staffing, reduce hotel backlogs, integrate mental-health care.
Promote integration: language training, employment support, trauma counselling, and community sponsorship.
What You or Your Group Can Do
Individuals
Write to your MP encouraging investment in legal routes, faster processing, and dignity in accommodation.
Volunteer with or donate to agencies assisting asylum seekers with English lessons, befriending, or CV help.
Churches & Communities
Host panels and prayer nights addressing refugees' journeys and needs.
Launch integration programs: language cafés, job support, family mentoring.
Partner with NGOs (e.g. Christian Aid, Red Cross) for local support centres.
Advocate locally: improve conditions in hotel housing; call councils to expedite children's education and pastoral care.