Campaigners alarmed by rejection of refugees using ‘safe and legal routes’

Rishi Sunak and Suella Braverman both say safe and legal routes are available to refugees who want to come to the UK, but charity Ramfel says such routes are barely available. Photograph: Jessica Taylor/AP

Campaigners have raised concerns about the high proportion of refugees seeking to join family members in the UK who have their applications rejected by the government, despite using the “safe and legal routes” touted by the home secretary.

Data obtained via freedom of information request by the charity Refugee and Migrant Forum of Essex and London (Ramfel) showed that 1,386 refugee family reunion applications rejected by the Home Office were overturned on appeal between 2019 and 2022. That represents 66% of the total of 2,106.