On the 30th of September, the Justice Committee published the Pre-legislative scrutiny of the draft Victims Bill. We welcome their understanding of the higher vulnerability experienced by victims with insecure immigration status and their recommendation to end data-sharing between the police and Immigration Enforcement and introduce a firewall immediately. LAWRS, alongside other members of the Step Up Migrant Women campaign, have called for the Victims Bill to provide migrant victims with the reassurance that when reporting a crime or accessing any form of support, they would be treated as victims first and foremost.

Dolores Modern and Elizabeth Jiménez-Yáñez, LAWRS Policy and Communications Managers said:

We welcome the Draft Victims Bill report produced by the Justice Committee. The report highlights how data-sharing between the police and Immigration Enforcement undermines the confidence of vulnerable migrant victims and prevents them from accessing their rights as victims. We are pleased to see the Select Committee calling for an end to this practice and recommend the introduction of a firewall to guarantee that victims and witnesses of crime with insecure immigration status can safely come forward without the risk of facing negative immigration consequences. The Victims Bill provides an opportunity to make things right for migrant victims who have been discriminated against in accessing safety and justice. Together with our partners, we’ll continue campaigning for migrant victims of crime to be supported and access redress without discrimination.”

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Contact: Elizabeth Jiménez-Yáñez, elizabeth@lawrs.org.uk, 077 1396 7767.