Hundreds of child refugees have been unacceptably left in limbo in Calais camps by Home Office delays, despite having the legal right to be reunited with families in the UK, Yvette Cooper, the Labour MP, has written in a letter to the home secretary, Amber Rudd. His amendment in the House of Lords brought a U-turn on the Immigration Act, committing the government to relocate lone child refugees in Europe “as soon as possible”. Around 20 of the estimated 88,000 unaccompanied child refugees in Europe have so far arrived in the UK, a tiny figure that has prompted harsh criticism. Charities working in Calais have also identified a further 200 child refugees who do not have family anywhere in Europe and would be eligible for sanctuary in Britain under the Dubs amendment. Child refugees at risk of sexual abuse and trafficking in government-run camps in Greece must also be offered sanctuary in Britain, Cooper said.

Source: The Guardian August 14, 2016 18:22 UTC