The London Assembly is urging the Government to introduce a scheme to allow irregular migrants to earn UK citizenship.
Assembly
Members today passed a motion supporting a one-off, time limited route
to citizenship for irregular migrants who have been living in the UK
for many years. The motion also calls on Mayor of London Boris Johnson
to join the Assembly in lobbying for the introduction of such a scheme.
Proposing the motion Darren Johnson Am told the Assembly:
"At
current deportation rates it would take 25 years to remove irregular
migrants from the UK, people who could be contributing up to £1bn of
increased tax receipts if their status was regularised. What we are
proposing is not unlimited immigration under the cloak of a blanket
amnesty but rather a limited scheme that will provide a pathway to
earned citizenship for people who demonstrate a commitment to
contributing fully to our society and economy."
The full text of the motion is as follows:
"This
Assembly notes the election commitment given by the current Mayor and
other leading contenders in support of a one-off, time-limited, earned
regularisation of suitable irregular migrants, many of whom live and
work in London, which would allow those who have been in the UK for
many years to be admitted to a two-year pathway to citizenship.
"This
Assembly now resolves to make representations to the UK Government in
support of such a regularisation, and calls on the Mayor to join it in
making these representations, including by commissioning supporting
evidence regarding the impact on London from GLA Economics."
Notes for editors:
1.
The motion received 12 votes in favour (Labour, Liberal Democrat and
Green), 5 votes against (Conservative and BNP) and one abstention
(Conservative).
2. The meeting can be viewed via webcast at: www.london.gov.uk
3. As well as investigating issues that matter to Londoners, the London Assembly acts as a check and a balance on the Mayor.