Unveiling Immigration Raids: A Critical Examination of Racism and State Violence
Explore the insidious connection between immigration raids, racism, and state violence in this insightful examination by Monish Bhatia. This book delves into the impact of these raids, shedding light on systemic discrimination and oppressive practices. A compelling read that challenges societal norms and calls for change.
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Immigration Raids as Immigration Raids as Racist State Violence Racist State Violence Monish Bhatia
What I will Discuss: What I will Discuss: 392 million was spent on the Home Office s Immigration Enforcement Directorate in 2019-20 alone The overall aim was to prevent unauthorised migration Immigration raids are frequently ineffective in their own stated terms of facilitating removals. One of the core functions of raids is to instil fear among impacted communities which gets to nowhere Raids are form of migrant kidnapping and inflicting racist violence and they are experienced as such Growing resistance to raids
Raids in the UK Raids in the UK Rationales and Functions History ICE and other units involved Dawn raids and workplace raids Rolling back of state Hostile Environment Policy Operating from above, but seeking consent from the below Timeline and how it happens
Raids and the Reproduction of Fear Raids and the Reproduction of Fear It was around 7am in the morning. My children were getting ready for the School. I was with my two-year-old lying in bed. They [immigration officers] banged the door. Not sure whether it was my son or daughter who went to the door to answer. I heard them saying we want to speak to your mum . Before they [children] come in to let me know, these officers already stormed into the flat. They were already screaming you are under arrest blah blah . They came straight into my room. [They were] three women and four men. So, seven of them They asked me: do you know why we are here? I said I don t know, I had put an application . They said: we will look into that later, for now you will need to come with us . They asked us to pack fast, fast . I started packing. I was in shock. Like, I could not think, I was confused. My children were getting ready for school and now we are packing everything. We didn t have much time to pack. We didn t have much time even to have breakfast. We left pretty much everything behind [i.e. belongings]. They [officers] bought two-three bags, but it was not enough to put things inside. In less than an hour after they came, we packed whatever we could, and got put into that van. I could not call anyone for help, as they [officers] took my phone away. (Interview with Mercy)
RAIDS NEED TO BE SEEN AS KIDNAPPING OF MIGRANTS FROM THE COMMUNITY
RAIDS AS RACIST STATE VIOLENCE All of a sudden one day, Home Office people came to the house early in the morning. Around 7 in the morning. They came banging on the door. So loud! We all were like, what is going on. The officers just walked in without permission. They said they are deporting us and we should pack immediately. Errm errm oh my God [indicating panic]. I didn t even know what to do and who to call. My brain was running in so many different directions. I was going around and around. I was like what to take, what not to take, what to leave behind? Will I be able to come back to take the things that I leave behind? Who will look after my things? They were helping children pack their things. It was my children who were deciding for themselves what to take. They [officers] shouted I should pack my things quickly, so I was running around to put my things together My sons really love their school and one of them had a test, and he was studying until late preparing. He couldn t go for it. We left after 20 or 30 minutes of packing. I had no idea where we were going or going straight on the flight and getting deported? We were treated like a piece of garbage like just get out, just get out of this place. They took us to the immigration reporting centre and we were there in a closed room for two-three hours. All this time I was thinking what is happening to us. You know, these are not just things, this was our life. In 20 minutes how much I could pack? And I was thinking about deportation and what will happen to me? What will happen to my children? Then from reporting centre they put us back in van and started driving. We were taken to [city name] airport and we were there for another two hours. From there we went to London Heathrow and then to detention. (Interview with Fatima)
GROWING RESISTANCE TO RAIDS Immigration controls are part of a vicious global system of capitalism and colonialism. The British Empire and other colonial powers are not just history. Powerful corporations and governments are still colonising and destroying the world for profit, and the entire economy functions on plundered resources such as oil. They use immigration controls to protect the wealth they have looted over centuries, to push down wages, and to stop us from uniting. Our weapon is solidarity. The only way to fight immigration controls, and other attacks by the rich and powerful, is to create networks of resistance that bring together individuals and communities. We need to come together on the streets, in our areas and workplaces, and fight side by side with our neighbours. Immigration checks and raids on our homes, streets, communities and workplaces are violent attacks on us by the racist state. They can have extreme consequences, including lengthy periods of detention, deportation and, in some cases, death. Raids and checks need to be opposed wherever and however we can. (Anti-Raids Network website)
