Immigration and Asylum Appeals

On 1 September 2025, the Home Secretary informed the House of Commons of her intention that the body responsible for dealing with immigration and asylum appeals will be replaced.

This briefing provides information about the immigration and asylum appeals system and this announcement. It explains how previous governments have replaced the bodies responsible for these appeals. It also explains some of the motivation for such changes and the motivation that appears to lie behind the Home Secretary's announcement.

Amnesty does not support the Home Secretary in this. Indeed, we are concerned that what she has said undermines the integrity and independence of the appeals system, and the judges and judicial body responsible for it, while distracting attention from where real problems lie - responsibilities of the Home Secretary not the appeals system. This briefing explains these concerns.