Yvette Cooper urged to end ‘cruel’ pause on Syrian asylum decisions Asylum seekers say they are in limbo and charities have expressed ‘deep concern’ as claims paused after Assad regime’s fall.
Syrian asylum seekers left in limbo after the home secretary said the government was pausing their claims have called the decision “cruel” and urged officials to resume processing their cases.
Last week, the home secretary, Yvette Cooper, told MPs: “Let’s be clear, most of the claims, many of the claims that have been made, have been made against the Assad regime for asylum, which is clearly not in place.
More than 700 refugee organisations, including Care4Calais and Refugee Action along with many UK-based Syrian groups, have expressed “deep concern and opposition” to the pause on the 6,500 claims currently in the system, the Independent has reported.
The Guardian spoke to two Syrian asylum seekers who were dismayed by the government’s decision and fearful of finding themselves forcibly returned to Syria at a time of enormous instability.
