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Background                                          
The COVID-19 pandemic has shown how much we depend on one another. It has also shown how closely our health as a society is tied up with workers’ access to sick pay and safe working conditions.
Migrants are disproportionately represented among the front-line workers who have kept us going throughout the pandemic, as NHS workers, carers, cleaners, delivery drivers and farm workers. Despite this, the government’s Hostile Environment policies have meant migrant workers are at particular risk, and have fewer rights.
There is no evidence that Hostile Environment policies have any impact on controlling immigration or encouraging compliance with the immigration rules. The policies do, however, cre…