Council

Agenda Item 30 

       

Subject:                    Resisting Hostile Environment Policies

 

Date of meeting:    23 July 2026

 

Proposer:                 Councillor Sankey

Seconder:                Councillor Asaduzzaman

 

Ward(s) affected:   All

 

 

Notice of Motion

 

Labour Group Amendment

 

 

That deletions are made as shown with strikethrough below and additional recommendations are added as shown in bold italics below:

 

This Council notes:

 

  1. The current government’s action to resist the hostile policies of the previous Government including scrapping the Rwanda deportation scheme and starting to process asylum cases again.
  2. The hostile environment reached its peak in Brighton and Hove when 137 unaccompanied asylum seeking children went missing from a hotel in Hove between 2021 and 2022 immigration strategy, which represents a regressive and callous shift that targets vulnerable refugees and asylum seekers, many of whom are fleeing war, persecution and climate destruction.

 

  1. The recent counter-protests, which demonstrate that the vast majority of our city reject the far-right hate that drives these hostile immigration policies.

 

  1. Brighton and Hove’s longstanding status as a City of Sanctuary, recently recognised by the Council of Sanctuary award.

 

This Council resolves to:

 

  1. Officially endorse the Leader’s recent letter to the Home Secretary calling for an extension to the move on period; granting asylum seekers the right to work after six months; the commencement of local authority led accommodation pilots and restore the right to family reunion. condemn the increase in immigration raids and the regressive settlement and asset-seizure policies put forward by the current Government, which can function as a form of State intimidation, dividing communities and instilling fear amongst our residents.

 

This Council further notes:

  1. outlines the council’s legal obligations relate to regulatory, safeguarding and public protection responsibilities, such as consumer protection, public safety, health and safety, licensing compliance, modern slavery, labour exploitation and safeguarding concerns and do not extend to when it comes to immigration enforcement;
  2. explores situations in which the Council can legally refuse to provide assistance to the Home Office or Immigration Enforcement teams - including via Council licensing and environmental health - to avoid council resources being used to facilitate raids wherever possible;
  3. outlines any there are no data-sharing or service agreements with the Home Office that are in place concerning immigration enforcement, reviewing them wherever legally possible to reduce our complicity in creating a digital hostile environment and creating a clear firewall around Council services where this is in line with the Council’s legal obligations; and
  4. considers continues partnership working with organisations like Voices in Exile and local anti-raids groups to support migrants and businesses and those targeted by raids to ensure they are aware of their legal rights in relation to immigration enforcement and raids.

 

Supporting Information:

Immigration raids - Guide for local councillors

 

Recommendations to read if carried:

 

This Council notes:

 

1.   The current government’s action to resist the hostile policies of the previous Government including scrapping the Rwanda deportation scheme and starting to process asylum cases again.

 

2.    The hostile environment reached its peak in Brighton and Hove when 137 unaccompanied asylum seeking children went missing from a hotel in Hove between 2021 and 2022

 

3.    The recent counter-protests, which demonstrate that the vast majority of our city reject the far-right hate that drives these hostile immigration policies.

 

4.    Brighton and Hove’s longstanding status as a City of Sanctuary, recently recognised by the Council of Sanctuary award.

 

This Council resolves to:

 

  1.  Officially endorse the Leader’s recent letter to the Home Secretary calling for an extension to the move on period; granting asylum seekers the right to work after six months; the commencement of local authority led accommodation pilots and restore the right to family reunion.

 

This Council further notes:

  1. The council’s legal obligations relate to regulatory, safeguarding and public protection responsibilities, such as consumer protection, public safety, health and safety, licensing compliance, modern slavery, labour exploitation and safeguarding concerns and do not extend to  immigration enforcement;
  2. There are no data-sharing or service agreements with the Home Office in place concerning immigration enforcement
  3. Continues partnership working with organisations like Voices in Exile to support migrants and businesses to ensure they are aware of their legal rights.