Many of us in the Jewish community view with much alarm the government’s apparent proposal to scrap a scheme designed to enable child refugees and asylum seekers to be reunited with family members in the UK (Report, 23 December).
This appears to be a move from a bilateral treaty arrangement with the EU to a unilateral statement by a country that will be outside of the EU, which will have the effect of weakening the legal rights of vulnerable children. It is estimated that there are some 1,000 young people facing this situation. At this time of the year, when many are focusing on children, we need to question why the government is using this opportunity to add confusion and uncertainty to the desperate situation which many of these children and young people are facing as they languish in unspeakable conditions. The government needs immediately to strengthen, not weaken, our moral and legal obligations to reunite these young people with their family members in the UK.
Dr Edie Friedman Executive director, The Jewish Council for Racial Equality, Adam Rose Chair, The Jewish Council for Racial Equality, Samantha Cozens Trustee, The Jewish Council for Racial Equality, Rabbi Laura Janner-Klausner Senior rabbi to Reform Judaism, Rabbi Oliver Joseph and Rabbi Alexandra Wright
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