Right now, children and people fleeing war and persecution are risking their lives at sea because they have no other way to reach safety and family in the UK.
This isn't fate. It's cruel policy.
Slamming our doors shut doesn't make anyone safer, but safe routes can save lives and help refugees thrive in their new communities. And yet, this Government is cracking down on family reunion – one of the last safe routes left for child refugees.
Our hostile immigration system is costing lives. Add your name today to demand urgent change.
- What are safe routes?
Safe routes are government-run pathways that allow people fleeing war and persecution to reach host countries safely and legally, so they can apply for protection once there. They save lives and help governments better manage refugees' arrivals.
But right now, most people fleeing unimaginable horrors in places like Afghanistan, Iran or Gaza do not have a safe route to the UK. This is simply cruel.
The only way to apply for asylum is to be physically in the country, but the Government doesn't provide any safe or legal process for people to get here in the first place. That's why so many are forced into these dangerous journeys to reach safety and family here.
- What's the current situation?
2024 was the deadliest year on record, with 82 people dying in the Channel – including children. At the same time, fewer and fewer people have been allowed into the UK via safe routes. This is no coincidence: when safe routes close, smugglers become the only option.
Children bear the worst of these hostile policies. Many become orphaned or torn from families in the chaos of war or brutal regimes, then face trafficking or deadly journeys trying to reach what little family they have left.
And yet, the Government has recently suspended one of the only safe routes available to them – refugee family reunion – condemning more children to dangerous journeys.
- What does the Government need to do??
The best way to prevent dangerous journeys and break the grip of smugglers is to create safe routes for refugees to reach safety, reunite with family and rebuild their lives.
That's why we're asking the Government to:✔️ Restore and expand family reunion, including by letting children join family here
✔️ Pilot a refugee visa to allow refugees to come to the UK safely to seek protection
✔️ Restore the right to seek safety in the UK and scrap anti-refugee policies
✔️ Renew cooperation with EU partners on migration
- What you can do
Change happens when we unite! Our collective pressure has already won major victories – from defeating the Rwanda scheme to scrapping the Refugee Ban.
But we need to keep the pressure onkeep – because politicians will only act if enough of us speak out. Every signature strengthens our call for compassion when we meet with Ministers and MPs and challenge hostile policies – add yours today in just a minute.
And we're not stopping here. Make sure to join thousands of us by signing up to our mailing list and get updates about the campaign and other ways to make a difference!