Migrant people in the UK have told openDemocracy of becoming depressed, receiving racial abuse, and struggling to reassure their children of their safety after home secretary Shabana Mahmood proposed wide-ranging changes to immigration rules.
Earlier this year, Mahmood announced plans to double the time it takes for migrant people to receive indefinite leave to remain (ILR) and redefined the right to settle in the UK as a privilege to be earned.
Under the previous system, the vast majority of people could apply for ILR after five years of continuous residence in the UK (with a 10-year ‘safety net’ path for those who didn’t meet the five-year path’s English language criteria or £29,000 income requirement, for example).
