Written Evidence on the experience of minority ethnic and migrant people in Northern Ireland
Published:
June 24, 2021
Policy Area(s):Immigration
CAJ has provided written evidence to the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee on its inquiry into the ‘The experience of minority ethnic and migrant people in Northern Ireland’.
At the time of the 2011 census, it was found that Northern Ireland was the least ethnically diverse part of the UK. Nonetheless, a significant percentage of the NI population now belongs to non-white minority ethnic groups (1.8% in the 2011 census) and/or was born outside of the UK and Ireland.
Our submission raises the following main issues:
- Considering the unique position of Northern Ireland when discussing immigration and migrant rights.
- The impact of the opening of an EU Settlement Scheme route for family members of people of Northern Ireland and concerns about rights implications of the 30 June 2021 deadline.
- The Frontier Workers scheme and the failure to consider its unique impact in Northern Ireland. Concerns about specific issues including the lack of funding for advice organisations assisting with the scheme, the lack of provision for family members and the approaching deadline by which workers must hold a permit.
- The impact of the Common Travel Area on migrant and minority ethnic communities in Northern Ireland. The need to expand CTA access, concern over increasing unlawful immigration checks within the CTA and impacts of immigration reform on the functioning of the CTA.
- Racist hate crimes in Northern Ireland and links to paramilitary activity. The impact of this issue on the policing of hate crimes.
- Concerns over the expansion of the hostile environment in Northern Ireland.
Download the submission here.