LGBTQ+ charity warns asylum overhaul will leave refugees ‘living with uncertainty for decades’

LGBTQ+ refugee charity Rainbow Migration has hit out at new asylum measures introduced by home secretary Shabana Mahmood, warning they will leave people who have fled persecution “living with uncertainty for decades”.

Under changes announced this week, refugees granted protection in the UK will now receive temporary status, with their cases reviewed every 30 months. If their country of origin is later deemed “safe”, they could face removal.

Responding to the reforms, Minesh Parekh, policy and public affairs manager at Rainbow Migration, described the move as “cruel” and “unjust”.

Rainbow Migration supports LGBTQ+ people seeking asylum in the UK

“The asylum changes the Home Secretary brought in today are cruel, unjust, and will only make it harder for people to put down roots and rebuild their lives in safety,” Parekh said.

“Determining whether a country is ‘safe’ is extremely complex and blanket designations too often fail to reflect the realities individuals face. Living with the constant threat of being sent back to danger is horribly inhumane.”

Parekh added that repeatedly reassessing someone’s right to remain in the UK would have far-reaching consequences beyond immigration status alone.

“Constantly reviewing someone’s right to stay, making them live with uncertainty for decades, will undoubtedly affect their ability to develop lasting work, housing or family ties,” he said.

Rainbow Migration supports LGBTQ+ people seeking asylum in the UK, many of whom have fled extreme violence and threats in their home countries.

Parekh pointed to the case of Sam, a trans man from the Middle East who fled after being threatened with violence if he did not reverse his transition. He also highlighted Jalal, a gay man from Pakistan whose family told him: “If you come back, we will kill you.”

“We urge this government to stop their anti-migrant agenda” – Minesh Parekh, Rainbow Migration

“Imagine finally being granted refugee status after fleeing these horrors, only to be told that your status will be reviewed in 2.5 years and you could be sent back to danger,” Parekh continued.

The organisation is urging the government to reconsider the policy, arguing that it risks fuelling hostility towards migrants rather than addressing structural problems at home.

“We urge this government to stop their anti-migrant agenda, which is fuelling hostility and hate towards people seeking safety, and instead tackle real issues the UK is facing, like inequality, unaffordable housing and rising poverty.”

The Home Office has said the changes are designed to ensure protection is granted to those who need it while allowing the government to respond if conditions in a person’s country of origin improve. Critics, however, warn that for LGBTQ+ refugees in particular, so-called improvements on paper do not always translate into safety in practice.