Britain's Windrush generation, akin to DREAMers, faces deportation under new law
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https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2018/04/17/uk-dreamers-windrush-generation/523670002/
LONDON — These immigrants have lived and worked in Britain for decades. Now, some face deportation because they lack the official paperwork needed to stay. Much like the "DREAMers" brought to the United States as children, many immigrant kids who arrived in the United Kingdom from the Caribbean and other former British colonies a half-century ago face an uncertain future. They are the descendants of the "Windrush generation," named after a ship — the MV Empire Windrush — that docked in the U.K. in June 1948 with cleaners, bus drivers, bricklayers and nurses from Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and other British territories.
The immigrants rebuilt the U.K. after the destruction endured during World War II. British Prime Minister Theresa May apologized Tuesday for her government's treatment of the
approximately 500,000 people of the "Windrush generation" who came to the U.K. between 1948 and 1971. "We welcome them and the enormous contribution they have made to this country," May said during a meeting with Caribbean Leaders in London. She said she was "genuinely sorry for any anxiety that has been caused."
Unlike DREAMers, those in the Windrush generation were never considered illegal immigrants. They arrived in the U.K. legally under then freedom of movement laws for nationals of the Commonwealth, an intergovernmental organization of 53 member states that are mostly former territories of the British Empire.
The immigrants did not need elaborate documentation or proof of British citizenship. Many never registered. But a series of tough new rules on immigration means some of these immigrants are now being classified as illegal. They have faced deportation threats and in some cases stripped of their rights to access health care, employment and pensions.
David Lammy, a British politician from the opposition Labour Party who has spearheaded efforts to recognize the rights of the Windrush generation, said Monday in Parliament that the issue represents a moment of "national shame." Lammy, whose parents are immigrants from Guyana, said Tuesday in a tweet that Britain's immigration system is "not a system that is working. It is pernicious cruelty."
May's government said it does not think anyone from the Windrush generation has been deported. But in a meeting with Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness on Tuesday, May said she could not "definitively" rule it out.
Lammy's interventions have halted the planned Wednesday deportation of Mozi Haynes, 35, the son of a Windrush generation immigrant. There have been other close calls.
And yet they're facing deportation anyway. This is evil.
Yo they are giving them all citizenship as well as compensation to anyone who got fucked over
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-43868921
Lucky them, here president trumpy is kicking peopleout who have been here for decades. Its great to see at least one gov have common sense.
I'm glad that they're getting compensation. Theresa May is generally more pragmatic than Trump and knows when she's got to be the Repenter-In-Chief.
This blew up way beyond what they were probably expecting. The only reason Rudd and May are giving a shit is they got caught, probably because they assumed this country was so far gone down the right wing rabbit hole no one would give a damn if they starting deporting whoever they wanted.
Even the Daily Mail told them off over this and you know you fucked up when your propaganda machine turns against you.
I don't know anything about DREAMers, are they like these guys? I thought dreamers were named for the fact that they had a dream of a better life and illegally immigrated to the USA. Afaik the Windrush dudes were granted legit residency and it was almost revoked?
i mean dreamers are people who were granted residency if they kept a job or went to school and were below 30ish thanks to the obama administration. But trump wants to revoke it when the dreamers have already shown up and are actually participating in the program.
Yeah it's a bit different. Dreamers were brought to the US as children illegally, the law says they shouldn't be there but it would be blatantly ridiculous to deport as many have literally no memory of living anywhere but the US
Windrushers came to the country legally, but the government chucked their residency documents in the bin and now there's no easy way to prove it. So it really is on the government to sort this one out
they probably were looking at enough court cases that were unwinnable anyways, glad nationalism and closed boarders got stomped in this case
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