Displaying items by tag: Home office

Border Force is a new department of the Home Office, which has replaced some of the functions of the UK Border Agency. It manages UK border controls, enforcing immigration and customs regulations. We can pray for Paul Lincoln, the newly appointed director-general, that he may turn the tide of terror away from our borders. Pray for his team to work in unity with other organisations so that nothing is missed or overlooked, and for them to be aware of every hidden strategy against our safety. Pray for the teams who register all traveller services, monitor goods entering the UK, investigate immigration crime or suspicious activities at sea, and much more. May they rise up and become all that God has created them to be, so that this nation lives in peace.

Leading homeless charities were criticised after fresh revelations about their links to the Home Office. A report from Corporate Watch said that several homeless charities, including St Mungo's and Thames Reach, are ‘collaborating’ with the Home Office to remove foreign rough sleepers from the UK. Among the documents referred to in the report is a St Mungo's policy paper stating that if clients are not engaging with their service their details will be passed on to immigration enforcement teams by outreach workers. The refugee and migrant group Ramfel said it had become abundantly clear that there was more than a close collaboration between homelessness agencies and the Home Office. This is an issue of trust and confidence and if homeless people on the street cannot trust those that claim to be coming to assist them, then the meaning of charity needs a serious rethink.

Thousands of National Health Service (NHS) patients have had their data accessed by the Home Office as part of a crackdown on illegal immigration. The data are made up of non-clinical information, which includes names, dates of birth and the individual’s last known address. An investigation by the Guardian revealed for the first time the extent and details of Home Office requests for information. Between September and October 20126, 2,224 such requests were made: in 1,659 cases the details were traced, in 516 there was no trace, and in 69 instances requests were turned down. The number of requests has risen threefold since 2014, as the Government has toughened its stance on illegal immigration. Data can be requested about people who have absconded from immigration control, escaped detention, exceeded their time in the UK, sought to obtain leave to remain by deception, or failed to comply with reporting restrictions. It should be noted that NHS Digital retains the right to refuse requests which it deems to be against the public interest.