Amnesty UK refugee & migrant rights programme director. Tweets relate more or less to issues on which I work. For media enquiries: https://nitter.gq/t.co/gtyf9bZTnE
Joined October 2015
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The word ‘illegal’ when used in relation to immigration is simply the most pejorative & hostility-inducing means to generalise about a disparate group of people whose circumstances vary significantly. 1/8
#WorldRefugeeDay Time for politicians to match the strength & courage shown daily by refugees…
amnesty.org.uk/latest/our-le…
Undermining international law standards is upholding nothing save for a status quo in which people seeking safety are used and abused for financial or political ends while respect for law, truth and even politics is constantly diminished.
Ministers in this & last Government keep defending wasting billions by refusing to decide people’s asylum claims fairly & efficiently (harming refugees & public funds). Sadly, much mainstream politics (including Reform) remains committed to the same.
theguardian.com/politics/liv…
Steve Valdez-Symonds retweeted
The decision to strip Begum of British citizenship despite the fact she was born here sent a message to all the children/grand children of immigrants: we can take your citizenship away.
@stevesymondsAI is right here - Begum is British & should be brought back #GMB
Steve Valdez-Symonds retweeted
UK: Syrian refugees must not be left stuck in 'asylum limbo'
‘Historic as it is, the fall of Assad’s brutal regime provides no guarantee of safety whatsoever in what remains a complicated and volatile situation in #Syria’ - @stevesymondsAI
amnesty.org.uk/press-release…
Steve Valdez-Symonds retweeted
Responding to new Government immigration statistics released today ...
‘There’s no compromising on the need for asylum in a world torn by conflict, authoritarianism and oppression’ - @stevesymondsAI
amnesty.org.uk/press-release…
As confirmed by recent newspaper reports, government persists with an underlying ambition to avoid asylum responsibilities by preventing people’s arrival. This is wrong & harmful. The following @AmnestyUK briefings identify how & why this must change. 1/4
theguardian.com/uk-news/2024…
This briefing identifies key pieces of legislation that must be repealed - these are at the heart of how the last government wrecked the asylum system: 3/4
amnesty.org.uk/resources/bri…
This briefing explains what is responsibility-sharing & why that is so important to the right to asylum - also to managing people’s exercise of this right in a fair, efficient & safe way: 4/4
amnesty.org.uk/resources/bri…
Steve Valdez-Symonds retweeted
“UK leaders have too long attempted to shirk responsibility, even to the point of wrecking the country's own asylum system”, writes @stevesymondsAI of @AmnestyUK
🇬🇧 The UK must share, not shirk, asylum responsibilities
politics.co.uk/comment/2024/…
Steve Valdez-Symonds retweeted
RT: Booklet: Children & their rights to British Citizenship.
prcbc.org/wp-content/uploads…
Foreword: @BZephaniah (Benjamin generously wrote this foreword in 2022, before he passed away. We are forever grateful)🙏🏽
illustration: @chrisriddell50 (our sincere gratitude to Chris) 🙏🏽
Steve Valdez-Symonds retweeted
Response from @AmnestyUK's @stevesymondsAI to the new quarterly immigration (including asylum) statistics
Bitterly tragic exposure of futility of stopping boats. This policy is cruel & deadly: heightening risks by not only making each journey more dangerous, but compelling people to make several journeys. Safe lives, help people, share responsibility. 1/2
bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce81…
Family whose eldest daughter died on their fifth attempt to make this crossing in search of dignity & safety, say their conditions remain such that they will have to try again. Safe lives, help people, share responsibility. 2/2
bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce81…
Steve Valdez-Symonds retweeted
Responding to news that the Supreme Court has declined to hear an appeal against a decision to revoke Shamima Begum's citizenship
'Stripping Shamima Begum’s nationality was profoundly wrong - she is and has always been British' - @stevesymondsAI
amnesty.org.uk/press-release…
Steve Valdez-Symonds retweeted
“Targeting immigration services & their users is the latest appalling development of the racist hate & violence that's erupted over these last days" @AmnestyUK's @stevesymondsAI ahead of expected racist targeting of law firms & support services #UKRiots
amnesty.org.uk/press-release…
Thanks to all providing service to others. Whether paid, volunteer, in uniform, for public or private body, or in your own time, all of us depend on you, some of us far more directly than others. If you’re feeling scared or low at this time, know at least your kindness is valued.
Steve Valdez-Symonds retweeted
I'm a migrant!
I'm a lawyer!
In the last 12 years, I have become even more committed to young people born in the UK or from migrant backgrounds at the Project for the Registration of Children as British Citizens @PRCBC1. 1/4 🕊️
How much more is needed before @ukhomeoffice scraps its reckless plan to make every migrant person in the UK entirely dependent on an online digital system to prove their status here & all their everyday rights based on that status?
1/2
theguardian.com/technology/a…
More on this policy here: 2/2
amnesty.org.uk/resources/amn…