Today we cosigned an open letter alongside over 25 organisations working in Greater Manchester challenging the Government’s citizenship ban. The letter has been sent to all Greater Manchester MPs, the council leads for migration in the 10 Greater Manchester boroughs and to Andy Burnham, Paul Dennett and Jennie Corbett at GMCA.
The context - what is the citizenship ban?
On 10th February 2025, the Government made changes to the ‘Good Character’ guidance it uses when considering citizenship applications. These changes say that people who entered the UK ‘illegally’ and / or arrived through ‘dangerous routes’ will normally be refused British citizenship, no matter how long they have been in the UK.
The changes will most directly affect people who are long-term UK residents, who have been in the country for many years, often having undergone a long and traumatic journey through the UK asylum or immigration system, which can itself last years.
Many of those affected will have originally arrived in the UK through an irregular route as people seeking asylum: in the absence of accessible safe and legal routes, there is no other way to claim asylum in the UK. Their claim for protection will have subsequently been granted, and they will have rebuilt their lives in Greater Manchester with the aspiration to become full and respected citizens in their new home.
The impact
Denying people the opportunity of citizenship in this way brings no benefit to anyone in our communities. It cruelly undermines people’s sense of belonging and security in the UK, forever punishing them for a journey taken at great risk and in the absence of any safe routes to claim asylum here.
It is also completely at odds with the recovery work taking place in communities following the civil unrest that gripped the country in August 2024. Since the announcement we have received worried calls from people we support, their families and friends, concerned about how this now affects them.
We strongly oppose these changes, which have been introduced without Parliamentary scrutiny and are unlikely to deliver the Government’s desired result of deterrence. Both academic research and the Home Office’s own research have shown that people making irregular journeys do not have a detailed understanding of the policy environment which awaits them here.
These changes only risk fuelling wider hostile narratives surrounding people seeking safety here, shamefully perpetuating the lie that some of us don’t really belong.
Take action - write to your MP
Stand with us to show that solidarity and welcome can win over hostility and division.
GMIAU (Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit) have produced a template letter you can use to write to your local MP, asking them to speak out about the citizenship ban (and the impact it’s having in their constituency) in Parliament.
Access the template letter
Signatories
Below is the list of local grassroots organisations, campaigning groups, and national charities who have joined together to call on Greater Manchester politicians to act:
Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit (GMIAU)
Boaz Trust
Asylum Matters
These Walls Must Fall
Action For Humanity
Action Together
BRASS Bolton (Befriending Refugees and Asylum Seekers)
Caring and Sharing Rochdale
Caritas Salford
Caritas Shrewsbury
Conversation Over Borders
The Eagles Wing support group, Bury
Greater Manchester Law Centre
Greater Manchester Migrant Destitution Fund
Growing Together Levenshulme
Macc
Manchester City of Sanctuary
Manchester Refugee Support Network
Middleton Co-operating
Rainbow Haven
Refugee Action
Refugee and Asylum seeker Voice (RAS Voice)
Resolve Poverty
Revive
Shelter
Support for Wigan Arrivals Project
UK BME Anti-Slavery Network – BASNET
Visit from the Stork
