The horror of the bombings, the homes destroyed, hospitals targeted and the children killed. This is the reality of what Ukrainians are fleeing.
In response, the British public have stepped up to play their part with kindness, sympathy and care. As a refugee myself, it has been tremendous to see thousands of people up and down the country prepare to open their homes to Ukrainian refugees.
The government, however, have fumbled and floundered in their response. This crisis shone a light on just how broken the government’s rules on family reunion are.
Ukrainian refugees had to jump through impossible hoops and face an uncertain wait to find out if they could join loved ones here safely.
Forced to make concessions, I am pleased that the government has now made vital improvements to the process for Ukrainian refugees.
Advertisement
The problem is that other refugees fleeing conflict and persecution face the same harsh rules and prohibitive processes, like Afghans and Syrians.
The government’s family reunion rules are broken, and they are failing some of the most vulnerable refugees. Unaccompanied child refugees find it next to impossible to reach close family in the UK.
I have proposed a solution, a fix to our broken family reunion rules, which would mean that unaccompanied child refugees in Europe could safely join family in the UK.
The House of Lords defied the government and voted this through as an amendment to the Nationality and Borders Bill. Today, MPs will have their say on the amendment. I hope that they will do the right thing and vote to retain the amendment.
Fixing family reunion would be a lifeline for unaccompanied refugee children, who are currently stranded alone on the streets and in the shelters of Europe. Surely children should be safe in the care of their family.
Advertisement
Until we left the EU, we had the benefit of the EU’s Dublin III Regulation, which helped families to reunite. Since then, it is clear that very few children have managed to join their families here.
The Home Office has turned unaccompanied children away. I have seen the refusal letters claiming that a child does not need to join their family member in the UK as they are housed in a shelter for lone children.
For heaven’s sake, who would think that a child should stay in a sort of institution instead of safe in the care of family?
I have met children in Calais and in Greece who desperately want to join their family here. If they cannot do so via family reunion, they do what any of us would do: they find another way.
Some of the children I met said that to join their family, they planned to hide in the back of a lorry or risk the freezing, terrifying journey across the Channel. A journey that cost 27 people their lives in the tragedy only a few months ago.
Advertisement
If there is no safe route and no family reunion, children will risk dangerous journeys to try to reach sanctuary and loved ones here in the UK.
None of us want to see child refugees risking a treacherous journey on a dinghy but unless the government opens safe routes and fixes family reunion, many are left with no other choice.
The improvements the government has made to family reunion for Ukrainian refugees demonstrate how vital it is to reform family reunion for all refugees.
When MPs come to vote, I hope they vote to protect unaccompanied refugee children.
If as a country we cannot support family reunion for unaccompanied child refugees, then we are a much less worthy country than I thought we were.
Advertisement
Lord Dubs is a Labour peer
• Alison Thewliss: If Sunak doesn’t help Scotland independence will be a no-brainer
• Chris Curtis: Why the Tories may do well in May’s local elections
