The Government is gradually making immigration a crime. In the last 10 years the Labour Government has introduced five major pieces of legislation on immigration, creating new 'offences' that apply exclusively to immigrants.
Stop and search policies by the police target black people and the so-called anti-terror laws do nothing to address the causes of terrorism, but are another way to terrorise and criminalise whole communities.
Asylum seekers have to sign weekly or monthly at an Immigration Reporting Centre. Electronic tagging and telephone voice-recognition systems are used to track asylum seekers.
Forcing asylum seekers to live where they are told and not allowing them to invite friends to stay at their house. At the same time we are forced to see friends go homeless and hungry due to government policies.
The right to work for asylum seekers was taken away in 1999. But many people are forced to work to look after their families because for asylum seekers with benefits, benefits are so low (70% of British benefits). And for asylum seekers receiving 'vouchers' or nothing at all, the situation is even worse.
Working is a right not a crime! It is not only asylum seekers who are affected by these racist policies. Many immigrants have strict controls on the jobs they are allowed to do and they have less rights than British workers. They often have no rights to benefits if they lose their job, no sick pay, can be paid under the minimum wage and they may have to leave the country or become destitute.
TCAR is in solidarity with all immigrants and we also demand the right to decent work for everybody, both immigrants and people born in Britain. We stand against divide and rule tactics used by a racist Government and media. This is why we invite you to join us as we march against all racism and for the right to work and stay for all on 19th January. Join TCAR! - click for information
March supported by: Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism! North East; South Yorkshire Migration and Asylum Action Group (SYMAAG); North West Asylum Seekers Defence Group (NWASDG).
Please contact TCAR if your organisation wishes to support this event. E-mail tynesidecarn@yahoo.co.uk.
