Most of the undocumented population in the UK is made up of people who came here legally, but subsequently lost their status, very often through no fault of their own. Some make the difficult decision to leave an abusive partner or an exploitative employer, even though it means they will lose their immigration status. Others grow up assuming they’re British, only to be told that they aren’t, even though they’ve never known any other country. And some fall out of regular status because they can’t afford the skyrocketing fees to renew their visa or to challenge an incorrect decision made by the Home Office.
The minority who arrive here without documents are often those who are fleeing danger or who have a strong claim to be given status in Britain – for example because close family members are here – but no legal way of entering the country to make that claim. In those circumstances, it’s essential that there are safe and clear routes to regular…