Dr. Christina Tatham (School of Education) has collaborated with colleagues from the Migration Research Group to publish a letter entitled "The Illegal Immigration Bill is itself Illegal" in the Sheffield Star.
The letter is in response to the Government's anti 'illegal' migration bill and also in response to a large number of letters published in the Sheffield Star recently that express racist, anti-migrant views. The letter points out:
...it is not illegal to cross a border and claim asylum. Indeed, the rights of people seeking asylum are protected by The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Article 14), the 1951 UN Refugee Convention, the European Convention on Human Rights and our own Human Rights Act. These rights are protected, regardless of how and why anyone arrives in a country...
Letter to The Sheffield Star
Dr. Christina Tatham
The hope is that this letter will correct some of the misinformation surrounding people seeking asylum. The letter was signed by a number of MRG members and its full text is available below.