International News
UK Pauses Refugee Family Reunion Route
Britain’s government announced Monday it was suspending a scheme enabling families of refugees already in the UK to apply to join their relatives, as it tries to reduce irregular immigration.
Labour is struggling to stop record numbers of undocumented migrants arriving in the country by small boat, which is fuelling a bitter national debate and boosting support for the anti-immigrant Reform UK party.
Interior minister Yvette Cooper said she was “temporarily” suspending new applications to the so-called refugee family reunion route as she moves to reform the system.
“We do need to address the immediate pressures on local authorities and the risks from criminal gangs using family reunion as a pull factor to encourage more people onto dangerous boats,” she added.
Home Office figures released earlier this month showed there were almost 21,000 refugee family reunion visas issued in the year to June 2025, the vast majority handed out to women and children.
Cooper said the suspension comes ahead of further reforms set to be announced later this year which will look at “contribution requirements” for family members and “longer periods before newly granted refugees can apply”.
“Until the new framework is introduced, refugees will be covered by the same family migration rules and conditions as everyone else,” Cooper told parliament.
Immigration currently tops Britons’ concerns, ahead of the economy and the National Health Service, an Ipsos survey published last month found.
Over 111,000 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest-ever number of applications since records began in 2001, Home Office data showed earlier this month.
More than 50,000 migrants have made the dangerous Channel crossing from northern France since the Labour Party’s Keir Starmer became prime minister in July 2024.
The arrivals, which also occurred under the previous Conservative government, is causing discontent that is being tapped into by Reform, led by hard-right firebrand Nigel Farage.
Cooper said the government expects to start returning the first migrants to France under a recent deal “later this month”.
UK officials have begun detaining people under a “one-in, one-out” agreement with Paris in which Britain can send back to France some migrants who crossed the English Channel.
In exchange, Britain will accept an equal number of migrants from France who can apply for a visa to enter the UK via an online platform, giving priority to nationalities most vulnerable to smugglers and people with ties in Britain.
“We expect the first returns to begin later this month,” Cooper told parliament.
“Applications have also been opened for the reciprocal legal route, with the first cases under consideration subject to strict security checks,” she added.
Reform has consistently led Labour in national opinion polls for several months now, although the next general election is not expected until 2029.
AFP
Jeremy Doku insisted Manchester “will keep on fighting” in the Premier League title race despite their “painful” draw with Everton on Monday.
City drew 3-3 with the Toffees at Hill Dickinson Stadium, with Doku scoring a 97th-minute equaliser, having also scored the opening goal.
Doku’s equaliser (96:49) is City’s third-latest goal on record (since 2006-07) in a Premier League game after John Stones’ strike against Arsenal in September 2024 (97:14) and Gabriel Jesus’ goal against Everton in February 2019 (96:52).
Doku has had a hand in six goals across his last five games for City in all competitions (four goals, two assists), as many as in his previous 22 games combined (one goal, five assists).
The Belgian also created the most chances in the match against Everton (four), completed the most dribbles (5/7) and won the most duels (14/19).
City avoided defeat in a Premier League game despite trailing by 2+ goals as late as the 82nd minute for the first time since March 2012 against Sunderland (3-3).
They went on to win the league title in 2011-12, and Doku believes City can still beat Arsenal to the trophy this season.
“First half, we played well and created a lot of chances. We know if we don’t score those chances, it is going to get difficult at the end,” said Doku.
“Obviously, they are at their own stadium, they create chances, and they are dangerous, and they scored two goals, but I think we gave them the game.
“Good that we came back because one point is not bad in games like this.
“We will see. It feels painful now. There is still a lot of games to go. We lost two points, but we know that one point can be important at the end.
“We will keep on fighting. We owe it to ourselves and to our fans.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Nigerians interested in repatriation from South Africa will be responsible for the cost of their return trip to Nigeria.
The ministry’s spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, stated this during a press briefing on Monday in Abuja.
The briefing came shortly after a closed-door meeting between the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Dunoma Ahmed, and the South African Acting High Commissioner, Lesoli Machele.
Mr Ebienfa said the process will be self-funded and not state-funded, as it is a voluntary decision that the Nigerian government will only facilitate and coordinate.
In the recent past, such reparations have been sponsored by Nigerian airline owners, particularly Allen Onyema, the CEO of Air Peace.
The Nigerian government, on Sunday, indicated its readiness to repatriate its citizens from South Africa due to xenophobic violence.
The effort primarily targets Nigerians who feel threatened by the xenophobic violence and tension in parts of South Africa, as the protests against black immigrants in the country continue. Two Nigerians were killed last month.
Since the announcement, about 130 Nigerians in South Africa have expressed a willingness to return home voluntarily.
Mr Ebienfa stated that the return of the Nigerians depends on their financial capacity, as they would be expected to fund their trip back home individually.
He said, “Those willing to leave are expected to approach the high commission and, given that their decision is voluntary, have the resources to fund their return to Nigeria.”
The government will not “provide an aircraft from Nigeria to convey them.”
He also noted that the speed of the repatriation process will be determined by the availability of funds.
“Yes, 130 as of this morning have registered, but actualisation would be required to have their flight ticket to move back to Nigeria.”
Mr Ebienfa also explained that Nigerians who have so far expressed interest are motivated either by concerns about threats to their lives or by fear of arrest by South African law enforcement agencies.
“There are two groups of Nigerians who want to come back. One group feels the country is not safe for them and wants to come. They have all their papers intact.
“Then there is also the second group that has travel document violations or resident permit violations. And instead of running away from law enforcement, they are appealing that the government facilitate their movement back to Nigeria,” he explained.
However, he noted that the process is still being worked out and that the government would step in to provide aircraft or other needed assistance if tensions rise and the situation becomes more volatile.
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