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Vicky Taylor

@vickytaylor.bsky.social
728 followers 777 following 27 posts

writing about the UK's criminalisation of asylum seeking · border criminologies · otherwise found in cold water somewhere

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Vicky Taylor @vickytaylor.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
Latest on @freemovement.bsky.social about how over 1000 people have been criminalised for how they seek asylum in the UK since 2022 freemovement.org.uk/1000-people-...
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Vicky Taylor @vickytaylor.bsky.social · 12/07/2026
Thanks Richard - exactly that
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Border Criminologies @bordercrim.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
Two men who fled extreme danger in Afghanistan and Sudan have been handed prison sentences for 'endangering life at sea’, a cruel new offence that punishes the very people it claims to protect. Read the piece by @vickytaylor.bsky.social for @opendemocracy.net www.opendemocracy.net/a-cruel-new-...
opendemocracy.net
A cruel new law is scapegoating refugees for UK’s harmful border policies
In court, I saw two refugees jailed for ‘endangering life at sea’ – a new offence that punishes those it claims to protect
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Emma Patchett @eepwrites.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
"These people are not the architects of dangerous crossings, but participants in a situation created by a lack of safe, legal routes to the UK and hardened by ever-increasing border enforcement" @vickytaylor.bsky.social www.opendemocracy.net/a-cruel-new-...
opendemocracy.net
A cruel new law is scapegoating refugees for UK’s harmful border policies
In court, I saw two refugees jailed for ‘endangering life at sea’ – a new offence that punishes those it claims to protect
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Vicky Taylor @vickytaylor.bsky.social · 01/04/2026
*Government deliberately makes safe routes more and more difficult to access, forcing people to get into dinghies to reach the UK, and then decide to blame and imprison a child (in adult prison) for their own deathly policies No to criminalising migration. www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crim...
independent.co.uk
Child charged with endangering lives in Channel crossing under controversial new law
The child, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, allegedly piloted a small boat during a Channel crossing
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Border Criminologies @bordercrim.bsky.social · 23/01/2026
📆 Join us in London/ online next Tuesday to hear from people at the forefront of the fight against the criminalisation of migration and solidarity! With Seán Binder, @captainsupportuk.bsky.social, @vickytaylor.bsky.social and @hallamtuck.bsky.social. Sign up ➡️ www.law.ox.ac.uk/content/even...
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Border Criminologies @bordercrim.bsky.social · 05/12/2025
🚨 Event alert! Our network member @vickytaylor.bsky.social is speaking in London on Tuesday, 9th of December alongside a fantastic lineup of panelists on irregular migration responses. Booking required! Find more information here: rli.sas.ac.uk/news-events/...
rli.sas.ac.uk
Irregular migration responses: small boats, return hubs and the future of the refugee regime
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Border Criminologies @bordercrim.bsky.social · 05/01/2026
From today, new immigration offences give the UK government even more power to criminalise and imprison people crossing the Channel in dinghies. Read an overview of the changes from @vickytaylor.bsky.social ⤵️ blogs.law.ox.ac.uk/border-crimi...
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Border Criminologies @bordercrim.bsky.social · 03/11/2025
✨What does hope have to do with researching hostile border policies?✨ Dr Nomfundo Ramalekana, Monique Failla, @juliawinkler.bsky.social & Ibrahim Ince share thoughts at our annual workshop @cambridgelaw.bsky.social @andrianifili.bsky.social @mfbosworth.bsky.social @smilivojevic.bsky.social 👇
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Dr. Lucy Mayblin @mayblin.bsky.social · 18/07/2025
Great article from @vickytaylor in @opendemocracy on Labour's new one in one our policy: "Labour has done what they said they wouldn’t – introduce performative gimmicks to convince voters they’re in ‘control’ of migration." www.opendemocracy.net/en/beyond-tr...
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Vicky Taylor @vickytaylor.bsky.social · 19/07/2025
Thanks Lucy! Appreicate the share
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Beyond Slavery @beyondslavery.bsky.social · 11/07/2025
Don’t be fooled by Labour’s show of providing safe migration routes. It’s justifying a cruel trade in people. ✍️ @vickytaylor.bsky.social www.opendemocracy.net/en/beyond-tr...
opendemocracy.net
‘One in, one out’ Channel deal is just another cruel gimmick
Don’t be fooled by Labour’s show of providing safe migration routes. It’s justifying a cruel trade in people
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Mary Bosworth @mfbosworth.bsky.social · 11/07/2025
@vickytaylor.bsky.social on the continuity of cruelty in the UK/France deal and the lack of evidence about deterrence. Of interest to @bordercrim.bsky.social folks too: www.opendemocracy.net/en/beyond-tr...
opendemocracy.net
‘One in, one out’ Channel deal is just another cruel gimmick
Don’t be fooled by Labour’s show of providing safe migration routes. It’s justifying a cruel trade in people
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Border Criminologies @bordercrim.bsky.social · 04/06/2025
Our new report (led by @vickytaylor.bsky.social) provides a critical update on the UK government’s continued prosecution and imprisonment of people seeking safety—including refugees, trafficking survivors, and children—simply for arriving by ‘small boat’: www.law.ox.ac.uk/content/news...
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Oxford Criminology @oxfordcrim.bsky.social · 05/06/2025
Check out this updated reported by a team of committed colleagues including our very own DPhil student @vickytaylor.bsky.social
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Vicky Taylor @vickytaylor.bsky.social · 01/06/2025
report to be published ....
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Vicky Taylor @vickytaylor.bsky.social · 01/06/2025
The Government’s proposed Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill intends to introduce further criminal offences, justified as necessary to ‘smash the gangs’. Given that existing offences are used to target people seeking safety, we believe that the new offences will be used in the same way.
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Vicky Taylor @vickytaylor.bsky.social · 01/06/2025
There is no evidence, from the UK or other jurisdiction, that prison sentences for ‘illegal arrival’ deter people from making irregular journeys to seek asylum.
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Vicky Taylor @vickytaylor.bsky.social · 01/06/2025
@humansforrights.bsky.social has identified 29 children prosecuted for 'illegal arrival', mostly for steering dinghies since June 2022. They are frequently imprisoned as adults, in adult prison. 17 of the 29 have now had their ages accepted as children. Others continue to dispute their age.
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Vicky Taylor @vickytaylor.bsky.social · 01/06/2025
Prosecuting asylum seekers for 'illegal arrival' breaches international law, and causes significant harm to people seeking safety in the UK. Art 31 of the Refugee Convention should protect people from prosecution for how they arrive to a country to seek safety. The CPS ignores its duties.
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Vicky Taylor @vickytaylor.bsky.social · 01/06/2025
Overall, from the introduction of the NABA 2022 offences on 28th June 2022 until the end of 2024, the best available data suggests that 556 people were charged with ‘illegal arrival’ having arrived on ‘small boats’, and 455 convicted.
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Vicky Taylor @vickytaylor.bsky.social · 01/06/2025
The research is based on casework by Humans for Rights Network, Captain Support UK and Refugee Legal Support; as well as court observations; data analysis of original FOI requests; and interviews with 8 people who have been imprisoned for ‘illegal arrival’ to the UK.
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Vicky Taylor @vickytaylor.bsky.social · 01/06/2025
Latest research in @theguardian.com with @humansforrights.bsky.social & @reflegalsupport.bsky.social We document how ppl arriving on 'small boats', including asylum seekers, victims of trafficking & children are prosecuted for 'illegal arrival' www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
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Border Criminologies @bordercrim.bsky.social · 17/03/2025
Border Criminologies ( @vickytaylor.bsky.social ) and @humansfordogs.bsky.social have submitted joint written evidence to the UK’s Border Security, Asylum, and Immigration Bill, addressing the new and expanded criminal offences in the proposed legislation: bills.parliament.uk/publications...
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Border Criminologies @bordercrim.bsky.social · 21/02/2025
Electronic Immigration Network (@ein-website.bsky.social) features the joint briefing on the UK government's new Border Security Bill by Border Criminologies (@vickytaylor.bsky.social) and @humansforrights.bsky.social in their latest article. Read more here: www.ein.org.uk/news/border-...
ein.org.uk
Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill expands criminalisation of asylum seekers, report warns
Briefing by Border Criminologies and Humans for Rights Network highlights range of new criminal offences in the bill
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Border Criminologies @bordercrim.bsky.social · 19/02/2025
In response to the Border Security, Asylum & Immigration Bill introduced by the UK government on 30 Jan, Border Criminologies (@vickytaylor.bsky.social) and @humansforrights.bsky.social issued a briefing on the criminalisation provisions related to irregular arrival: www.law.ox.ac.uk/content/news...
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Adam Bienkov @adambienkov.bsky.social · 12/02/2025
This is not only morally reprehensible, but a breach of the UN Refugee Convention. No refugee should be discriminated against on the basis of how they entered the country www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
theguardian.com
UK to refuse citizenship to refugees who have ‘made a dangerous journey’
Home Office accused of shutting out refugees, as new guidance says those applicants will ‘normally be refused’
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ILPA @ilpaimmigration.bsky.social · 10/02/2025
⚡ The Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill has its Second Reading in the @houseofcommons.parliament.uk today. Read our detailed briefing 👇 ilpa.org.uk/wp-content/u...
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Nicola Palmer @nicolapalmer.bsky.social · 10/02/2025
The new ‘Border Security Bill’ heralds the legal & political end to the UK/Rwanda migration deal but life at the border, whether in the English Channel or in Kivu, remains securitized. My latest for @bordercrim.bsky.social buff.ly/4i0arzd @vickytaylor.bsky.social @alasdairmackenzie.bsky.social
buff.ly
Life and Law at the Border: UK Immigration Law After Rwanda
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Border Criminologies @bordercrim.bsky.social · 07/02/2025
In response to the UK government's new Border Security, Asylum, and Immigration Bill, @vickytaylor.bsky.social and Catriona Götz have written this blog post analysing the implications of this bill and how it may further criminalise people on the move: blogs.law.ox.ac.uk/border-crimi...
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Vicky Taylor @vickytaylor.bsky.social · 06/02/2025
We argue that the proposed new offences will imprison more people trying to seek safety and a better life in the UK This is already happening - over 550 people have been imprisoned 2022-24 for crossing the Channel. @captainsupportuk.bsky.social works in solidarity with them.
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Jon Featonby @jonfeatonby.bsky.social · 06/02/2025
Excellent and timely article from @vickytaylor.bsky.social on how previous measures have criminalised people seeking to come to the UK and not smuggling gangs. The new Border Security Bill has the potential to only make that situation worse, while doing nothing to reduce dangerous journeys.
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Vicky Taylor @vickytaylor.bsky.social · 06/02/2025
The Border Security Bill seeks to further criminalise people seeking safety in the UK Read about the current situation where people are imprisoned for crossing the Channel, & concerns about the new Bill here: blogs.law.ox.ac.uk/border-crimi... @bordercrim.bsky.social @captainsupportuk.bsky.social
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Jon Featonby @jonfeatonby.bsky.social · 30/01/2025
Section 59 of the IMA is also retained, which is definitely problematic. S59 makes any asylum or human rights claim made by a national of a "safe state" automatically inadmissible. Those states are listed and notably includes Albania. India and Georgia have since been added.
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Jon Featonby @jonfeatonby.bsky.social · 30/01/2025
It's also worth being clear on what bits of the IMA are retained. Section 12 of the IMA is not being repealed. That significantly reduced judicial oversight over immigration detention by giving the Home Secretary the ability to decide what a reasonable period of detention is, rather than the courts
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Colin Yeo @colinyeo.bsky.social · 30/01/2025
New from Free Movement: What is in the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill? | Colin Yeo
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What is in the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill? - Free Movement
The Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill has landed. It weighs in at 57 clauses ("sections" once it is an Act), two schedules and 74 pages. Let's take
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Vicky Taylor @vickytaylor.bsky.social · 30/01/2025
While introduced under the rhetoric of 'stopping smugglers', these offences are used against people seeking asylum, victims of trafficking, torture, modern slavery, and age disputed children on the move. These are anti-migration policies. @captainsupportuk.bsky.social @humansforrights.bsky.social
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Vicky Taylor @vickytaylor.bsky.social · 30/01/2025
FOI requests show that Labour continues to imprison people for piloting 'small boats' - people who are coerced directly or by circumstance (being otherwise enable to afford the journey) into this position. People cross the Channel by dinghy because there is no other way. FOI: tinyurl.com/upctwk5c
whatdotheyknow.com
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Vicky Taylor @vickytaylor.bsky.social · 30/01/2025
The Border Security Bill expands the Gov's powers to use criminal offences against people arriving irregularly to the UK. Criminalising movement does not 'stop' people coming. It only forces them into more dangerous situations, and imprisons them for seeking safety. From my research...
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Vicky Taylor @vickytaylor.bsky.social · 18/12/2024
I've been collecting data on this for a while now. In total, since the Nationality and Borders Act 2022 created the offence of 'illegal arrival' (1st july 22) 510 people have been charged and 411 convicted having arrived on a 'small boat'
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Vicky Taylor @vickytaylor.bsky.social · 18/12/2024
29 of these were charged having been identified as steering a dinghy. However, none were convicted of 'facilitating' arrival, indicating it could not be proven that they were involved any further in organising the journey.
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Vicky Taylor @vickytaylor.bsky.social · 18/12/2024
NEW DATA: In their first three months, the Labour government put 46 people in prison for their 'illegal arrival' on a 'small boat' www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/q3_2...
whatdotheyknow.com
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Vicky Taylor @vickytaylor.bsky.social · 04/12/2024
We are in court this morning for Ibrahima's permission to appeal hearing. Ibrahima Bah is in prison for steering a dinghy across the Channel. He was sentenced to 9.5 years in prison in Feb 24. Follow: @captainsupportuk.bsky.social @freeibrahimabah.bsky.social @humansforrights.bsky.social
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Will Coldwell @willcoldwell.bsky.social · 02/12/2024
Earlier this year, I sat through a trial that never should have happened, and watched as a young asylum seeker was prosecuted for a tragedy dealt by forces far greater than him. On Wednesday, his legal team will seek permission to appeal -I am hopeful this will be a step towards justice
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Border Criminologies @bordercrim.bsky.social · 22/11/2024
[Film Review 🎞️ ] Vicky Taylor reviews David Fedele's new film, which follows Sudanese migrants facing violence and dispossession in Morocco. The film captures their struggles, the UNHCR’s failures, and EU-funded anti-migrant policies in North Africa: blogs.law.ox.ac.uk/border-crimi...
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Vicky Taylor @vickytaylor.bsky.social · 22/11/2024
Justice for Ibrahima Bah, a teenager from Senegal who is imprisoned for 9.5 years, scapegoated after the dinghy he was steering across the Channel broke apart. Read more from the campaign for his release >>>
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Free Movement @freemovement.bsky.social · 21/11/2024
In case you missed it: Huge increase in rough sleeping among newly recognised refugees | Sonia Lenegan freemovement.org.uk/huge-increase-i……
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Huge increase in rough sleeping among newly recognised refugees - Free Movement
NACCOM (The No Accommodation Network) has published their annual data briefing "Understanding destitution and homelessness in the asylum and immigration
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Vicky Taylor @vickytaylor.bsky.social · 19/11/2024
Thanks for this! Do consider adding @captainsupportuk.bsky.social !
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Vicky Taylor @vickytaylor.bsky.social · 19/11/2024
@captainsupportuk.bsky.social - friends now on bluesky too!
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Vicky Taylor @vickytaylor.bsky.social · 19/11/2024
Thank you @dorinadamsa.bsky.social 😍
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