DORA FREITAS
April 2024
James Cleverly
House of Commons
London
SW1A 0AA
Dear Home Secretary, James Cleverly,
On the 4th of December 2023, you announced during a parliamentary debate the introduction of a new immigration bill which impacts the right to family reunification. This legislation stipulates that from the 11th of April 2024, individuals earning less than £29,000, rising to £38,700 next year, will no longer be able to bring their spouse or partner to the UK. Additionally, social and senior care workers will be barred from bringing their partners and children to the UK, further isolating individuals who already work in demanding and often low-paid roles (McKinney & Gower, 2024; SFC, 2023).
These policies follow previous immigration measures restricting refugees from accessing family reunification, barring them from bringing parents, adult siblings, non-adopted dependent children, children over 18, and other extended relatives. Additionally, refugees are ineligible for free legal aid for family reunification applications and appeals and must cover further cost such as DNA tests (up to £600 each) (Red Cross, 2024). These government measures further limit the chances for refugee and migrant families to reunite with their loved ones.
As an Applied Medical Anthropology student, I am deeply concerned about these harsh new immigration legislations limiting family reunification. During my studies, I have learned about the severe mental health impacts caused by prolonged family separation, creating a rise in diagnosable conditions such as PTSD, depression, and anxiety disorders. These new immigration policies will undoubtedly exacerbate the mental health challenges faced by refugees and migrants in the UK, who already face systemic racism, low wages, poor housing, and suffer from higher susceptibility to disease and mental health issues (Pemberton et al., 2014; Fernández-Reino, 2020). The inability to reunite with family members intensifies these existing struggles, undermining wellbeing and integration into UK society, inevitably becoming a significant strain on the NHS and social services.
According to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), family is a fundamental human right; it states that “the family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the state.” Denying migrants the opportunity to bring their families contravenes this principle, poses severe risks to mental health, and may create new shortages in the UK.
Shortages and UK ageing population
Firstly, the incremental increase in the minimum income requirement (MIR) for partner visas which will rise to £38,700 by early 2025 according to your plans, represents an unreasonable target for most families as this new threshold even surpasses the median UK employee salary of £29,700 (McKinney & Gower, 2024; Jorgensen, 2024). It is estimated that 70% to 74% of working adults in the UK will not earn enough to sponsor a partner with the £38,700 threshold (Jorgensen, 2024). The rise in the threshold will also disproportionately affect women, particularly single mothers who face lower incomes due to their caring responsibilities (Koumis, 2023). This threshold stands in contrast to the family migration policies of other nations such as Belgium and Norway which maintain MIR of £21,000 and £24,000, despite being countries with a high cost of living (Ibid).
Implementing the new income threshold in the UK is likely to make our country a less attractive destination for overseas skilled workers. With an ageing population and a social care workforce crisis, there is a real risk that the care needs of the UK’s elderly will be further undermined by these new bills (Johnston & Pratt, 2024). Data from the UK reported that approximately 152,000 social care positions in 2022-2023 were vacant, representing approximately 9.9% of all social care roles (SFC, 2023). Although overseas recruitment has helped to reduce the number of vacancies by filling approximately 11,000 positions, the remaining figure is still alarming considering that the demand for social care services is expected to grow in the next few years (Foster, 2024).
Even if these new immigration bills do not reduce the number of migrants care workers or exacerbate existing labour shortages, as you have argued, they still raise significant ethical concerns. MP Joanna Cherry emphasised in a parliamentary debate the invaluable contribution of overseas care workers, who, under this bill, would need to leave their dependent children behind (House of Commons, 2023). These skilled professionals, dedicated to the welfare of our elderly and sick, deserve the right to be with their families. Do you not think it is unjust to deprive them of their families when they tirelessly care for ours?
Secondly, these new immigration policies aim to help the current government reduce overall net migration. However, family reunification visas contribute to only 5% of all granted entry visas, and their number has almost consistently declined since 2005. Consequently, the UK’s net migration is unlikely to significantly reduce through these new policies. Nonetheless, this policy will deeply impact the families involved, potentially delaying or making reunification impossible (Jorgensen, 2024).
The impact of family separation on migrant mental health
Numerous studies have highlighted the profound impact of separation on children’s behaviour. Children who experience prolonged separation from their parents often exhibit withdrawal upon reunification (Suárez-Orozco et al., 2002) and struggle with attachment and trust (Arnold, 2006; Wilkes, 1992). In a 5-year longitudinal study by Suárez-Orozco et al. (2011), structured interviews with immigrant youth from five different countries arriving in the US revealed that separation from family due to migration processes resulted in higher reports of depressive and anxiety symptoms in the initial years after youth migration compared to children who had not experienced separation.
In the UK, research revealed that families who are separated due to their inability to meet the MIR experienced deteriorating mental health (Koumis, 2023). This study, comprising interviews, focus groups, and surveys involving 26 families, found that 92% reported worsened mental health in children due to parent separation. Children exhibited distressing symptoms such as night terrors, sleep disturbances, and academic challenges. Behavioural issues like anger and violence were common. Additionally, severe concerns and disorders such as suicidal thoughts, self-harm, anxiety and selective mutism were observed. This study concluded that separation from a spouse led to enforced single parenting, economic strain, limited integration into society, and isolation; exacerbating children’s mental health issues and hindering their education (Koumis, 2023).
A study on adult refugees from Afghanistan, Iraq, and East Africa revealed significant mental health challenges among those separated from their families, including anxiety, PTSD, and depression (Miller et al., 2018). Family separation resulted in fears for familial safety, helplessness, and cultural disruption, contributing to 4% of the variation in depression and anxiety symptoms, 7% in PTSD, and 5% in psychological quality of life. Even after controlling for overall trauma, family separation remained a significant factor impacting mental health. Being separated from family had worse mental health outcomes than having lived through war or persecution (Ibid). Similarly, a community-based participatory research study by Letiecq et al. (2014) found that Mexican men who migrated to the US without their spouses had a higher likelihood of experiencing depression compared to those who migrated with their spouses. Lastly, a study involving a focus group of refugees in New Zealand who were denied family reunification revealed that such denials had resulted in suicidal behaviours (Choummanivong et al., 2014).These psychological issues are all significant social and health issues that will inevitably become the UK’s burden, either through rising rates of mental health disorders or because of potential departure of individuals who can no longer bear the burden, further exacerbating the gap in our labour force.
The argument that migrant mental health is not the UK government’s responsibility and that “people choose to come here” so they should abide by our rules, as you have stated during the parliamentary debate on December 4, 2023 (House of Commons, 2023), overlooks crucial factors. Holmes and Castañeda (2016) challenge the notion that migration is a voluntary economic choice, highlighting the influence of structural violence and the enduring effects of colonialism on migrants’ decisions. Economic forces driving migration often intertwine with political climates shaped by colonialism and historical injustices. This perspective underscores the inadequacy of viewing migration through a lens of individualism, which place responsibility on the migrant for their “choices” rather than viewing it as response to external pressures and injustices (Holmes, 2013; Holmes and Castañeda, 2016).
The importance of extended family
Anthropological theories, notably Arthur Kleinman’s Explanatory Models Approach (1978, 1988), highlight the importance of cultural context in understanding mental health issues, particularly among migrants facing conditions like depression and anxiety which are influenced by their cultural and social surroundings. The concept of ‘family’ varies culturally, affecting the impact of familial separation on individuals.
An ethnography by Georgas et al. (2006) reveals the culturally contingent nature of the family’s role, with diverse family structures across different societies. While the UK often centres on the nuclear family unit, characterised by a married or cohabiting couple with children, this is not the case in many other societies, where extended family members are considered part of the close-knit family and three-generational households are considered the norm (Goodwin et al., 2006). The UK government’s narrow understanding of family, excluding extended relatives from reunification pathways, does not align with the cultural realities of many migrants who consider their extended family part of their close-knit family (Choummanivong et al., 2014). The psychological and social consequences of separation from extended family will also vary significantly depending on one’s culture (Miller et al., 2018). Participants in this study argued that the presence of their whole family is a vital factor for maintaining or regaining good health. Advocating for broader family reunification policies is crucial, considering the anthropological diversity of family structures and their significance for migrants’ psychosocial well-being.
Family reunification limits social disconnection and improves social and economic integration
While migrants are often criticised for not doing enough to integrate (Telegraph, 2011), anthropologists argue that social disconnection is not due to personal failure. Instead, it results from social pathologies that exclude individuals from networks of social relations (Durkheim, 2005; Simmel, 1971). Migrants are often excluded from these networks, which leads to social disconnection, a risk factor comparable to smoking 15 cigarettes a day in term of mortality (Holt-Lunstad et al., 2015). Family reunification comes as a solution which fosters integration, thus reducing social disconnection and mental illness (Boyd, 1989). Qualitative interviews conducted in Hertfordshire, Yorkshire, and Humberside revealed that family reunion accelerates the social integration of migrant families because they could share caregiving responsibilities, allowing them to attend English classes and envision a future in the UK, encouraging permanent settlement (Oxfam, 2018). In New Zealand, 50 of 61 respondents reported that family significantly aided their resettlement, demonstrating the positive impact of familial and community connections on successful integration. Finally, a study on 6,610 refugees in Germany found that family reunification significantly improved mental health outcomes (Löbel & Jacobsen, 2021), addressing the root causes of psychological distress more sustainably than over-prescription of pharmaceuticals (Jenkins, 2011).
Economically, family reunification benefits both migrants and their host country. Intact families can pool resources, improving living conditions and hastening an escape from poverty (UNHCR, 2009). This leads to reduced dependence on government funding, addressing labour shortages and budget concerns in the UK.
Recommendations
In conclusion, I recommend realigning the Minimum Income Requirement for family reunification with the National Minimum Wage and considering prospective earnings from job offers and contributions from relatives. Application fees should be reduced (Koumis, 2023). Additionally, I advocate for free legal aid for refugees and family reunification for extended family members.
Establishing this will make the UK an attractive location for skilled workers and help meet the care needs of the ageing population. It will also reduce mental health disorders linked to family separation. As family visas represent only a small percentage of migrations, allowing family reunification will not significantly increase migration rates. Instead, it will enable families to achieve economic and social stability, inevitably improving welfare for the entire nation.
Yours sincerely,
Dora Freitas
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