Irregularity and enforcement

Undocumented migrants are among the most vulnerable of migrants in the UK. Many undertake low-paid work in dirty or dangerous conditions, in industries which supply the cheap goods and services that British society has become dependent upon. But the government response to migrant irregularity does not reflect the complex set of global and national issues out of which it arises. Currently, undocumented migrants have virtually no enforceable employment rights, and limited access to public services in the UK. They are increasingly the target of a high profile government enforcement campaign, which has brought immigration monitoring into workplaces, healthcare providers and educational establishments. This presents new challenges for all migrants, regardless of their immigration status.

We work with other charities, researchers and trades unions in order to advocate a more long-term and sustainable policy on irregular migration. In order to adequately respond to the drivers of irregularity, we think this should involve a ongoing regularization programme and a review of routes for regular migration to the UK. We also collaborate closely with the Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migration (PICUM), a Brussels-based organisation working across Europe in support of undocumented migrants.

Key projects

• Undocumented Migrants Project (May 2008 - April 2011)

Under a three-year programme funded by the Barrow Cadbury Trust, this body of work aims to address concerns about the position of undocumented migrants within the context of the Government's 'managed migration' strategy and the roll-out tougher enforcement measures. Work to date has included awareness-raising publications (Irregular Migrants: the urgent need for a new approach), public debate and formation of strategic partnerships around making the case for a more progressive policy approach towards undocumented migrants.

Contacts: Don Flynn, Ruth Grove-White

• ‘Papers Please’ project (February 2008 – ongoing)

This project looks at the effects of the 'civil penalty' regime which imposed additional responsibilities on employers for the immigration status of their workforce in February 2008. MRN commissioned the ‘Papers Please’ report, which looked at the impact of these regulations on migrant workers’ employment rights, and on undocumented migrant workers. MRN developed a training programme to raise awareness among trade union activists with the financial support of Unite the Union in 2009. As the culmination of this work, we collaborated with the Trades Union Congress, Unite the Union, UNISON and the GMB, and legal expert Barbara Cohen to produce a trade union ‘Negotiators Guide on Immigration Document Checks and Workplace Raids’.

Contact: Ruth Grove-White