The Solicitors Regulation Authority has today contacted firms named in a BBC investigation into alleged abuses of the immigration service, amid mounting condemnation from politicians.
The BBC claimed that law firms and advisers charge thousands of pounds to help migrants pretend to be gay to support their asylum claims to stay in the UK.
It was reported that one firm charged up to £7,000 to bring a fabricated claim, while a paralegal with another firm spoke of having helped people build evidence to convince assessors they are gay and so it would be dangerous to return to their home country.
Jonathan Peddie, executive director of investigations, enforcement and litigation at the Solicitors Regulation Authority said: ‘All regulated law firms and solicitors should uphold the high professional standards that we and the public expect of them. This is especially important in areas such as asylum and immigration, where the people involved may be vulnerable.
‘We are urgently following up with the SRA-regulated firms identified in the BBC story. If we find evidence that anyone we regulate has acted in ways that contravene their duty to act legally and uphold the law, we will take action.’
The SRA will be conscious to tread carefully around this issue in the wake of a series of failed prosecutions before the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal related to a Mail investigation into immigration lawyers.
Following those reports, there was pressure exerted on the regulator from politicians seeking a clampdown on those helping people to make alleged bogus asylum claims.
A similar outcry has come from Westminster today, with politicians from all parties agreeing on the need for strong action.
Shabana Mahmood, the home secretary, said: ‘Anyone abusing protections for people fleeing persecution over gender or sexual orientation is beyond contempt.
‘Let me be clear: try to defraud the British people to enter or remain in the UK and your asylum claim will be refused, your support cut off, and you will find yourself on a one-way flight out of Britain. Sham lawyers facilitating this abuse will face the full force of the law.’
Shadow justice secretary Nick Timothy said the BBC report had confirmed an ‘open secret’.
He added: ‘Human rights laws have killed immigration control. Many claimant lawyers and “charities” - many publicly funded - are abetting thousands of crimes. They all belong in prison. We will bring the whole thing down.’
Dr Zubaida Haque, head of policy, programmes and media at AdviceUK, the largest network of free and independent advice services in the UK, said unregulated rogue immigration advisers are exploiting vulnerable people who are desperate and making it much harder for LGBTQ+ asylum seekers to bring claims.
‘We are really saddened to hear people desperately needing advice are exploited by rogue immigration advisers charging extortionate fees for poor and negligent advice. Our members in the independent advice sector regularly observe this.’
