On May 7th, up to 5000 people participated in a migrants rights march to Trafalgar Square in central London. The march was organised by Strangers into Citizens, which is proposing a limited amnesty for some undocumented migrants.
No Borders activists, and others from the October 7th coalition took part in the demonstration, with banners, a Papers for All newspaper and a leaflet calling for the widest possible regularisation, based on freedom of movement and freedom to remain. The leaflet text follows:
REGULARISATION FOR ALL! NO ONE IS ILLEGAL! ABOLISH ALL RACIST IMMIGRATION CONTROLS!
The government has so far refused to consider an amnesty, but many groups are talking about campaigning for one. An amnesty usually refers to granting legal status to migrants who don't have it. But would there be conditions? And are there some amnesties which are bad for migrants?
You are invited to an IDEAS AND PLANNING DAY FOR REGULARISATION Saturday May 19th 11am – 4pm South Bank University A chance to discuss what kind of regularisation we should be campaigning for, how we react to amnesty campaigns that won't demand regularisation for all and how to build an inclusive movement reflecting the needs and concerns of all asylum seekers and migrants. We are calling for:
- Regularisation for all migrants. No one is illegal.
- The closure of all detention centres, because moving country is not a crime.
- An end to all deportations & the externalisation process turning countries on the edges of the EU into holding camps.
- Full labour rights for all workers, independently of their migration status.
- End the apartheid system of benefits, healthcare, housing and legal representation, and the deliberate policy of destitution for asylum seekers whose cases have been refused.
- Official recognition of rape as torture and persecution.
IF YOU ARE CAMPAIGNING FOR AN AMNESTY, MAKE SURE YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE CAMPAIGNING FOR
Some organisations (including Strangers into Citizens) are campaigning for an amnesty which will exclude most migrants/asylum seekers and cause deportations by alerting their presence to the Home Office, who get to decide whether they "deserve" an amnesty or not. We say "REGULARISATION FOR ALL". We don't want anyone to be misled. Make sure you ask these questions about any amnesty campaign:
- Does the amnesty apply to everyone or just a few people?
- Does it force people to rely on exploitative employers for references and/or sponsorship from other groups?
- Does it only count for people who speak fluent English?
- Does it only count for people who can prove they have lived and worked here for several years?
- Do the Home Office get to decide who deserves it and who doesn't, or will everyone who applies get status?
No arbitrary limits on who gets amnesty and who doesn't. Migrants should not be divided against each other by including residency requirements or language tests in amnesty proposals. It doesn't matter who has been here for one year and who has been here for 4 years – no-one is illegal!
We can all speak for ourselves! An amnesty should not depend on references from employers or sponsorship from religious/civic organisations. References or sponsorship would make it even easier for employers to exploit migrants, including sexual exploitation.
Everyone should know whether they will get an amnesty before they apply - we will not accept deportations as a consequence of the amnesty process.
Supported by groups including: All African Women's Group, Barbed Wire Britain, Latin American Community Association, Latin American Workers Association, Payday Men's Network, Women of Colour in the Global Women's Strike
