LEICESTER, United Kingdom – A proposed immigration law in the UK is “building a fortress” against refugees, according to a leading Catholic agency.

The Labour government approved the second reading of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill earlier this week.

The law would put new crimes on the books and grant counter-terror-style powers to tackle people-smugglers bringing migrants across the English Channel from France.

When elected, many people thought Labour would be more liberal on immigration then the previous ruling Conservative Party, but its leaders have said its policies would just be more “efficient.”

The proposed law would officially end the Conservative plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda, but it would also mean people selling and handling boat parts suspected of being used in illegal immigrant Channel crossings face up to 14 years in prison.

Undocumented immigrants travelling across the English Channel – many of them asylum seekers – have been a political issue for years, with hundreds of people drowning in their attempt to reach the country.

The Jesuit Refugee Service UK (JRS UK) says the bill misses “a vital opportunity” to create a fair and humane asylum system.

“Time and time again, a narrow focus on border security has put lives at risk. Any of us, if forced to flee our homes, would do whatever we could to reach safety. We should be focused on making it safer and easier for refugees to find protection, rather than building a fortress,” said Liam Allmark, the Acting Deputy Director of JRS UK.

“While this bill repeals some particularly harmful parts of existing legislation, it introduces dangerous new provisions which risk criminalizing people seeking safety and expanding the use of immigration detention, despite the well-documented harm this causes,” he added.

The UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper told the British House of Commons the purpose of the proposed law is to strengthen the nation’s border security, “which has been weakened and undermined in recent years, to restore order to the immigration and asylum systems that were left in chaos, and to bring in new counter-terror-style powers for our law enforcement to go after the dangerous criminal gangs who undermine our border security and profit from putting lives at risk and who have been getting away with it for far too long.”

She accused the previous Conservative government of failing to “act fast” with France and other countries to prevent “gangs taking hold” of people attempting to get to Britain.

“Instead, criminals were let off and an entire criminal industry was established along our borders in just a few short years, with tragic consequences,” Cooper said.

However, there were some members of the Labour Party who said they were afraid the law would criminalize “genuine and valid” asylum seekers.

“Many are being brought here as slaves, either for domestic service or menial unpaid work, or are being trafficked into sex slavery,” said Bell Ribeiro-Addy.

The JRS UK noted its own work with people seeking asylum in the country and the problems faced by the people they assist.

“The bill also allows the seizure of mobile phones from refugees, which was ruled illegal by the High Court in 2022. This can have a catastrophic impact on people’s ability to navigate the asylum system, access support, and stay in touch with their loved ones,” Allmark said.

The Bill in the UK is being voted on the same week Pope Francis has spoken against going against immigrants, registered or unregistered.

In a letter to the bishops of the United States issued on Tuesday, the pontiff said human dignity is one that “surpasses and sustains every other juridical consideration that can be made to regulate life in society.”

“The rightly formed conscience cannot fail to make a critical judgment and express its disagreement with any measure that tacitly or explicitly identifies the illegal status of some migrants with criminality,” Francis said.

In his comments, Allmark said the pope should be an important influence in how people look at those seeking asylum in other countries.

“This Jubilee Year, Pope Francis has called us to offer welcome and hope for refugees and other displaced people. With the help of our supporters, JRS UK will continue advocating for just policies that protect the lives and dignity of all those who are forced to flee,” the JRS UK head said.

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