Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has suspended all new refugee family reunion applications, insisting Britain’s asylum system must be overhauled.
Cooper told MPs the freeze will take effect this week and last until new rules are introduced next year. Refugees will now be subject to the same family migration rules as other migrants.
Pressure on the System
The Home Secretary said the move is designed to ease pressure on councils and stop smugglers using family reunion as an incentive for dangerous Channel crossings.
“Families staying together is important,” she told MPs. “But reforms are needed. We will set out a new system including contribution requirements, longer waiting periods before applications, and controlled arrangements for unaccompanied children and those fleeing persecution with relatives in the UK.”
Deal with France
Cooper also confirmed that Britain’s new deal with France will see the first migrant returns later this month. Under the “one in, one out” pilot scheme, migrants who crossed the Channel will be sent back to France, with approved applicants arriving in the UK in return.
She said: “Applications are already open under this reciprocal route, with cases under strict security checks. The more we prove the concept, the stronger it will become.”
Asylum Hotels to Close
Cooper vowed to shut down asylum hotels for good, promising a managed reduction in numbers and faster decisions on claims.
“Every asylum hotel will be closed under this Government,” she said. “Not through chaos or court rulings, but through a controlled and orderly programme.”
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has also pledged to accelerate closures, though he has not set a firm date. The government has committed to ending hotel use by the end of this Parliament, possibly as late as 2029.
Court Battles and Protests
The announcement comes after the Court of Appeal overturned an injunction blocking asylum seekers from being housed at the Bell Hotel in Epping. Local protests continued on Sunday, with three arrests. The council is considering a Supreme Court appeal.
Smuggler Crackdown
Cooper pointed to record action against people smugglers, with the National Crime Agency disrupting 347 crime networks in 2024/25, up 40% on last year. That included seizing 45 dinghies in Bulgaria bound for the French coast.
Tory Response
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp dismissed Cooper’s move as “a desperate distraction tactic.”
“The simple fact is this year so far has been the worst in history, with 29,000 illegal immigrants crossing the Channel,” he said.
