Yesterday we co-hosted the North West Migrants’ Rights Conference (Humanising the Rhetoric: Through Law, Communities, and Understanding) with Garden Court North Chambers. It was an incredible day of conversations, connection and reflection. We’re so grateful to everyone who came, contributed, spoke, and shared their work and experiences – it was so inspiring and thought-provoking.
An overview of the conversations we had:
Opening the day
Daniel Trilling set the tone with thoughtful reflections on the context behind why we were all in the room together.
Panel 1: Housing, support and destitution
We heard from speakers on the issues of NRPF, homelessness, and the current political climate. We also heard powerful testimony from those with lived experience – stories that highlighted not just resilience but the urgent need to rethink the housing and hotel accommodation model.
Panel 2: Windrush and the hostile environment
We listened to survivors of the Windrush scandal and to lawyers helping people navigate the complex Windrush compensation scheme, which reminded us of why access to legal support is so crucial. The damage caused by the 10-year route to settlement was also discussed, both from a legal perspective and lived experience – something we at GMIAU have been campaigning about for a long time.
Panel 3: Trafficking
Three brilliant speakers shared their expertise in immigration and modern slavery, from strategic litigation and client work, to academic research and landmark court cases. Each contribution highlighted how important and complex this work is.
Panel 4: Children – age assessments and best practice
This panel focused on how we can best support young people seeking safety. Speakers shared key recommendations on building trust and providing legal representation. We also shared some of GMIAU’s resources and heard from a member of our All4One group.
Panel 5: Reporting, detention and removal
Speakers reflected on their work across litigation, advocacy, and community organising. A panel full of passion, a commitment to justice and important reminders about why solidarity is so crucial, especially right now.
Panel 6: Looking ahead
The final panel gave us space to think about where we go from here – with contributions on family reunification, legal challenges, and lived experience. We ended on a note of hope, passion and collective commitment. And a final word from Julia Savage at Asylum Matters that really brought the day together.
Thank you again to everyone who organised, attended, spoke, and supported – including Clyde & Co who kindly hosted us. We left feeling energised, proud and hopeful, but most importantly: ready to continue our work with a real sense of commitment and solidarity, as we always do.