The Immigration Law Practitioners' Association (ILPA) has published an analysis of the UK Government's May 2025 White Paper proposal to implement passport-free entry using facial recognition technology at UK borders. The analysis scrutinises the legal implications for state sovereignty and passport authority, while also highlighting ongoing technical difficulties with the UK's digital immigration system. The proposed pilot for passport-free eGates, scheduled for late 2025, would use facial recognition and Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) data. Elspeth Guild and Catriona Barclay warn that this could undermine international relations, state sovereignty and data protection, recommending these issues be addressed before implementation.

The Immigration Law Practitioners’ Association (ILPA) and Rainbow Migration have issued a joint briefing, recommending that each House of Parliament disapproves the Draft Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 (Amendment of List of Safe States) Regulations 2024 (Draft Regulations).

The Immigration Law Practitioners’ Association (ILPA) and 30 anti-slavery organisations have published a joint response criticising proposed reforms to the modern slavery framework expected to be included in the Immigration and Asylum Bill. The organisations argue that the proposals rely on what they describe as a ‘hostile and unevidenced narrative of system mis-use’ and state that Home Office figures recorded only six disqualifications for bad faith claims out of 23,411 potential victims referred into the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) during 2025.

The Immigration Law Practitioners' Association (ILPA) and the Law Society have issued statements in response to the far-right violence and rioting which started on 30th July 2024. ILPA states it condemns the 'racist, anti-migrant, Islamophobic and far-right violence and aggression,' and calls on the government to review its in-person reporting requirements and allow asylum seekers to leave places they no longer consider to be safe without any repercussions. It also calls on the government to ensure immigration lawyers can perform their professional duties, including upholding the human rights of migrants, without fears for safety. The Law Society states it is concerned about the safety of its members following names and addresses of immigration solicitors' firms and advice agencies being shared on a list of targets for protest and violence. It requests that the government treats the threats against the legal profession with the utmost seriousness, and states it is supporting its members who are being targeted.

Immigration Law Practitioners’ Association (ILPA) has published a blog post by Alexander Finch and Keelin McCarthy examining international surrogacy and the associated immigration and nationality implications. The authors warn that UK nationals and residents are increasingly entering into international surrogacy arrangements without fully understanding the immigration and nationality consequences for any future child or obtaining specialist advice at an early stage. They also note that the Family Court has expressed concern that intended parents often embark on overseas arrangements without appreciating how foreign legal frameworks interact with UK rules on parentage, nationality and immigration.

Immigration Law Practitioners’ Association (ILPA) has published a blog post by Nelli Shevchenko, Senior Associate in at Sherrards Solicitors LLP,  examining several of the UK’s economic migration routes which are aimed at stimulating economic growth, but which have seen little take-up to date. The analysis looks at the Innovator Founder, Scale-up and  Global Business Mobility (GBM) Service Supplier Secondment Worker, and Expansion Worker routes. While the Skilled Worker and Global Talent routes have seen widespread adoption, these newer routes have struggled to attract applicants. Shevchenko looks at the reasons for this in each case, and suggests some recommendations for change.

The Immigration Law Practitioners’ Association (ILPA) has published a blog by Emily Wilbourn and Dr Christel Querton on the impact of safe country concepts on women seeking asylum in the UK. Drawing on the report ‘The Impact of ‘Safe Country’ Concepts on Women Seeking Asylum in the UK’, the post raises concerns about the scope and operation of these provisions, warning that they risk excluding women with well‑founded claims. It notes that recent legislative changes have expanded the Home Secretary’s powers to certify claims as clearly unfounded or declare them inadmissible, with limited safeguards.

The Immigration Law Practitioners’ Association (ILPA) has published a blog by Professor Elspeth Guild, Global Professor of Social Justice at the University of Liverpool, on the proposed UK-EU youth mobility scheme. The blog examines the implications the scheme, designed to promote bilateral cooperation through educational and work opportunities for young people aged between 18 and 30. The scheme would create a dedicated visa pathway to permit activities such as work, study, au-pairing, volunteering and travel, and is seen as a continuation of the UK’s engagement with international youth mobility models. A central point of discussion is the tuition fee policy for EU students at British universities. The current debate revolves around whether EU students under the youth mobility scheme should be granted home student fees, which are considerably lower, or should continue to be charged the much higher overseas fees. This issue arises at a time when British universities are already contending with strains in funding due to rising reliance on overseas student fees and shifting admission trends.

The Immigration Law Practitioners’ Association (ILPA) has published an April 2026 briefing paper by Professor Bernard Ryan and others which looks at the history of settlement for work, family and international protection in the UK, as well as the position in comparable countries. The paper, ‘Earned Settlement: a policy without precedent’, also looks at how transitional arrangements have consistently been introduced to protect persons already in the UK in work, business and family categories, when there have been more restrictive changes. The paper notes that the government’s proposed Earned Settlement changes, if enacted, would constitute a significant shift from the previous position in the UK, and in the large majority of equivalent countries.

The Immigration Law Practitioners’ Association (ILPA) has published its response to the Home Office consultation on ‘Family Returns: Reforming Asylum Support and Enforcing Family Returns’, which concluded on 4 June 2026. ILPA contends that the proposals would diminish rights, protections and practical support for refused asylum seekers, children and families, as well as adult care leavers without immigration status. The changes would remove appeal rights against refusal or discontinuation of section 95A support and narrow the ‘genuine obstacle’ test. ILPA urges the government to reconsider the proposals, publish detailed impact assessments before taking further steps, retain tribunal appeal rights and avoid changes that could raise risks of destitution, homelessness as well as the unlawful use of force against children during removals.

The Immigration Law Practitioners’ Association (ILPA) has published a statement marking the anniversary of widespread riots that took place across the UK during the summer of 2024. This follows recent warnings of similar unrest, a year later, despite the swift sentencing of those involved in the 2024 riots. ILPA emphasises that those who have fled dangerous places must be allowed to exercise their right to seek asylum in the UK, and not be met with violence and hatred. Additionally, those who support asylum seekers through the provision of legal services must be allowed to discharge their professional duties without hindrance, harassment or fear for their own safety and that of their families. ILPA also calls for the ratification of the Council of Europe Convention for the Protection of the Profession of Lawyer and committed support for the independence of the judiciary and the legal profession.

The Immigration Law Practitioners’ Association (ILPA) has published a statement concerning the Chișinău Declaration signed by member states of the Council of Europe on 15 May 2026. ILPA states that the Declaration is a political declaration which is not legally binding, does not amend the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and cannot direct the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) in its interpretation of the ECHR. However, ILPA notes that political declarations of this nature may nevertheless influence how the ECtHR contextualises its judgments over time.