Discrimination, exploitation, and lonely deaths
Elvis (not his real name), a Filipino man, died at home of suspected coronavirus, too afraid to seek medical help in case he got deported.
Michael lost his job as a special needs teacher and was threatened with deportation after he was accused of having no right to be in the UK, despite having lived in the UK for more than 50 years.
Anjay was exploited by one employer after another, with wages stolen, over crowded accommodation or sleeping rough and barely enough food to survive on.
These stories and millions more are the result of one set of policies – the Hostile Environment.
The Hostile Environment explained
Some use the term “Hostile Environment” to describe all policies which make life difficult for migrants living in the UK – treating them as less deserving of dignity and humanity than British citizens.
More specifically, it is a set of policies introduced in 2012 by then-Home Secretary Theresa May, w…