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Overview 
The COVID-19 pandemic poses an immense threat to public health, and particularly to the health of vulnerable minorities including migrants. It also creates insurmountable obstacles to many migrants in complying with the conditions of their leave or of any application they need to make. The current state of affairs is highly dangerous, with many people at risk of death or serious harm. The Home Office response to this situation is insufficient and confused. The helpline has given extraordinarily dangerous advice, for example telling an 80 year old cancer patient to make a trip overland by car to Ukraine at a time when most of Europe is in lockdown, rather than overstay her visa. I bring up this example, not to excoriate the staff member in question, but to emphasise how urgent it is that the Home Office now put in place comprehensive measures …