There are a number of imminent rights protections gaps that will result from Brexit. Some of these areas were to be addressed in the context of the EU-UK future relationship negotiations yet seem to have fallen off the agenda as the end of the transition period approaches. The pandemic, alongside a perception such matters have...
From the recent immigration white paper (published December 2018), it is clear that the UK government intends to move towards an online immigration system, with applications, visa documents, and status checking taking place digitally. At the UK border, the use of e-gates and an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) scheme is proposed. What the immigration white...
The changes to the Immigration Rules today follow the commitments made by the British Government in the New Decade, New Approach agreement of 9 January 2020 and the earlier review promised by Theresa May into Irish citizens in NI being joined by their family members. These changes are driven by the legal challenge by Emma...
CAJ has submitted a breach of equality scheme complaint against Translink in response to the company facilitating discriminatory passport checks on its cross-border transport services. The complaint has been made by CAJ on behalf of 17 directly affected passengers. Over recent months, concern has been building over the increasing number of passport and identity checks...
In March 2019, the Equality Coalition, in partnership with BrexitLawNI, held a major conference on ‘Post-Brexit Citizenship Status: Divided by the Rules?’ in the Moot Court Room at Queen’s University Belfast. Featuring expert practioner and political panels, the conference explored how Brexit will transform the citizenship landscape in Northern Ireland and could lead to hardened...
Inside this issue: Guest articles from the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (NIHRC) on DNA retention, Law Centre NI on welfare mitigations, and Rights Watch UK on the Prevent Strategy. Fionnuala Ní Aoláin, UN Special Rapporteur on Counter-Terrorism and Human Rights, writes about the misuse of counter-terrorism measures to stifle civil society globally. Plus, the...
When: 1.30pm to 4pm, Thursday 27 June 2019 Where: UNISON, Galway House, Belfast Launch of the ‘Post-Brexit Citizenship Status: Divided by the Rules?’ conference report and discussion of the ‘Manifesto for a Rights Based Return to Power Sharing’, featuring a keynote address from Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Tony Lloyd MP. In March...
CAJ and other members of the Brexit and Human Rights Working Group share concerns about the increased possibility of a ‘No Deal’ Brexit. As representatives of Civil Society, we believe that Northern Ireland is on the brink of a No Deal Brexit emergency. In an evolving political landscape, a variety of factors indicate that the...
Yesterday, CAJ was invited to appear before the Seanad Special Select Committee on the Withdrawal of the UK from the EU to speak on citizenship rights in post-Brexit Northern Ireland. Also present were Les Allamby, Chief Commissioner of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (NIHRC), and Professor Colin Harvey of Queen’s University Belfast. Below is...
Commitments made during the early stages of the Brexit process to protect the EU rights of Irish citizens in Northern Ireland have not been taken forward. BrexitLawNI has released a detailed briefing paper examining the fate of these commitments. Executive Summary Post-Brexit, Northern Ireland (NI) would be a jurisdiction outside of an EU member state...
