Scrap the immigration laws!
By DAN WRIGHT "BRITAIN faces a catastrophe unless the size of its African and Asian population is quickly reduced." In a speech addressed to a Conservative women's lunch in Liverpool, Enoch Powell carried on with his venomous crusade against black communities in Britain.
In a direct challenge to Margaret Thatcher and others, he reminded them of his Infamous "rivers of blood" speech in 1968 and claimed that his positions had been vindicated by the recent events. "Let those in positions of responsibility who disagree with my judgement declare their own in equally unegivocal terms.
He is certainly right in his challenge to the government. One can hardly put a cigaretle paper between the policies of Thatcher's government on immigration and racism and those of Enoch Powell. However, he would have been better off if he were to complain that he has been made into a political outcast, while his Ideas have been put into action by this
government.
Since 1979, one of the central political
obiectives of the Tory government has
been the establishment of "firm immigra-
tion control". They justify this stand by
arguing that firm immigration controls in
"good community relations"|
turn create
In other words these policies define black
people as the cause of the problem. The
line was that there would be less racial ten-
sion because there would be fewer Black
people!
arguments has been exposed time after The sheer hypocrisy behind these
time in the eyes of the black communities
who have been faced with deportations,
removals, and raids on factories and
houses by the police.
Of course we have recently seen in Brix-
ton, Birmingham and Tottenham the
police carrying out these "good communi-
ty relations" by shooting down Innocent
black women in their homes and beating
down black youths in the streets.
Since 1979, the state has reorganised control The Nition of Act origi int
the later Act of 1983 provided a legal basis
for controlling black communities. By
1984 external immigration to Britain - at
51,000 → was the lowest for 20 years.
However these changes in legisiation
were not enough for the government in
discriminating against black people,
The Home Office went as far as breaking Socialist Viewpoint, No 8, November 1986, Page 15
their own laws and using the device of delays to restrict the entry of people with legal rights to come to Britain.
According to a confidential Home Office briefing to ministers, recently leaked out to the press:
"In two signifant areas a system of queues operates to regulate the flow of immigrants and in the Indian sub-continent applicants have had to wait for up to two years for interviews. "...Provided the queues do not become regulation can continue." too long, this form of administrative
(Guardian, 21.3.85)
Nineteen thousand four hundred wives and children in India are wanting to join spouses already settled here. And only 42 officers are apointed to deal with their applications.
However, in 1984 the numbers accepted to settle in Britain from New Zealand and Australia increased by 1,400 to a figure of 6,000. (Figures from Guardian, 10.6.85).
As a result of a court action taken by three black women settled in Britain. Strasburg judges ruled in May this year that Britain's "primary purpose" rules were discriminating against women on the grounds of sex by denying UK entry to foreign husbands of spouses resident here while allowing it to foreign wives.
"dogs don't bite dogs". The same judges also ruled that the British However, government has the right to protect its labour market! The second ruling has given the green light for the government to introduce new restrictions.
In July, the House of Commons voted by
309 to 194 to approve immigration rules that eliminate sex discrimination but make
it tougher for both men and women to join
spouses in Britain.
New regulations also require that all
foreign spouses prove that they have a
place to live and can support themselves
without drawing "public funds"
THE press. politicians and even labour movement aC- some tivists argue that Fascist groups like the National Front (NF) and British National Party (BNP) are the decline". and that because of the hard right wing policies of Thatcher's govern- ment, particularly on issues of race and immigration people fascist are not relating to groups... being a Tory is just as effective. Black people. especially blacks liv- economically rundown, ing in the devastated and depressed urban areas know that this is simply not true. Although the fascist parties may not be • the arson attack on the Kassam family. EAST LONDON • An arson attack in Waltham Forest where an Asian family narrowly escaped death. • An arson aftack in a flat in Electric House in Tower Hamlets; again the family narrowly escaped death. in the back in his school. COVENTRY BRADFORD
The definition of "public funds" for immigration purposes, l.e. Supplementary Benefit, Family Income Supplement and Housing Benefit, has brought with it a new level of discrimination — not only against black people but also against 4 million unemployed and 7 million claiming Housing Benefit.
Black people are asked to produce their passport to show that they are entitled to claim benefit: they may aiso find themselves being reported to the immigration authorities by a social security clerk.
Far from providing a financial "safety nel" for those in need, lor many black peo ple the social security system has become yet another arm of the immigration authorities and a racist state.
In defence of these new changes, outgoing Home Secretary Leon Brittan reported the same old hypocrisy in Parliament: "The government has persistently maintained that "firm but fair" Immigration control is essential to promote good race relations.
"We came to affice committed to take a firm grip on immigration. We have done s0. Primary immigration has fallen."
However there is more to it. These policies of control are not only guidelines and quotas but also raised by consecutive governments in order to placate racist prejudices against black people so they can better split the working class.
This hideous and sinister aspect of immigration control policies began to pulling in the votes in elections they are out there on the streets organising..
East London has had particularly horrific racist attacks occurring over the past six months culminating in the arson attack on the Kassam home which killed Mrs Kassam who was eight monthe pregnant and her three young sons.
Often only the most serious incidents
are reported. Attacks like these are not
carried out by Tories: they are organis-
ed and done by fascist thugs.
In every city black familles are living in seige conditions. afraid to go out
after dark with many of the women not going out at all. Black people in council
accommodation are demanding letter-
boxes which make it impossible to pour petrol through them or are blocking up
the letterboxes themselves.
London boroughs like Tower Hamlets. • In Tower Hamlets a young Asian boy was stabbed • Six people escaped death when inflammable liquid was poured through their living room window. • Three racists wielding broken bottles and glasses attacked and seriously injured three Sikh men. Socialist Viewpoint, No 8, November 1986. Page 16
operate after 1979, in terms of internal controls inside Britain and directed at people already here.
To make internal controls more successful, a number of state Institutions and organisations are being increasingly co-opted in to a network of surveillance of Immigrants.
In addition to close collaboration between the Home Office and DHSS, the surveillance involves organisations engaged in the provision of education, housing. registration of marriages, health, etc.
A recent Observer report on the issue of surveillance revealed that
"Home Office intelligence unit computers store over 300,000 names of people who have settled here. The information sfored not only includes financial details of the person in question but also a defalled account of relatives and personal affairs,
(Observer, 3.3.85)
The police have been given extensive powers under the changes of immigration rules. They can for example, question anyone about their status, search the premises for suspected illegal immigrants, raid houses and workplaces on "fishing expeditions" and may carry out investigations on behalf of the Home Office to ascertain whether a marriage in "genuine" or one of "convenience"
Redelinition of the rules regarding illegal entrants have led to signiticant increases in the number of people deported Newham and Barking have fascists actively organising and present on the streets selling their filth and harrassing blacks.
Recently black activists have started a new umbrella grouping called Anti Fascist Action to bring together people interested in doing something against these attacks. The founding conference statement of aims says:
"This conference sees the need to build an Anti Fascist front of groups willing to combat Fascist activity in this country. We see the need to oppose racism and fascism physically on the street and ideologically. We support the right of ethnic minority groups and
groups under threat to organise for their
physical seit defence and see the need
lor us to organise in their support, This
grouping should be organised on non-sectarian and democratic lines with equal representation for all gorups Involved.
AFA appears to be a healthy attempt
to build strong co-ordinated direct ac
tion against the growing number of
attacks.
One of the main differences between
AFA and the Anti Nazi League is that
AFA was initiated and is being led by
black people. Its emphasis unlike the
ANL is on direct action which will detend blacks being attacked as well as
organising against fascist marches.
meetings. etc.
The Anti Nazl League did in some
areas organise against fascist activity. under the lead of the SWP. but
degenerated into a series of mass
events and concerts - one of which
continued while a few miles down the
road fascist thugs were marching.
The SWP wound it up altogether
when they took a central decision to
pull out of all their broad groupings.
AFA welcomes affiliations from
groups. For further information contac
Inti-Fascist Action. PX Box 273 Forest
Gate. London E7.
and removed. While deportation applies to those people who have entered the country lawfully and may therefore appeal against deportation order, "removals' only apply to those who allegedly entered the country in breach of immigration law.
According to these new rules, an immigrant who "admits lying" when s/he entered the country counts as an illegal entrant and can be summarily removed with no appeal possibile.
All these changes have in turn created an atmosphere of fear among not only those in breach of the immigration rules but, among the black community as a whole. Since it is obviously not possible on sight to tell an "illegal" entrant from a "legal" one, the attitude of the immigration authorities, police, DHSS, etc., is to suspect them all.
The wider Implications of these changes are hair raising. Four million black people in this country are put under total and continued suspicion and in a position that wherever they go, DHSS, Housing. Education, Police, etc., they have to prove themselves. And this is the basis and scale of institutionalised racism in Britain.
There are virtually no cavil liberties for those that the Home Office thinks are probably illegal entrants. They can be locked up indefinitely. Unless detainees ar actually charged with an offence they can't even apply for bail. By contrast bail is granted quite freely in criminal cases where the offense is much more serious.
As a result of this new turn towards internal control, in 1983 430 people were detained as illegal entrants, and this figure increased to 1,000 for 1984.
The number of people deported in 1983 was 940 against 830 the previous year. (Removals were not counted in these figures and figures are based on Home Office sources.)
Most of those people detained had spent
average more than 3 months In Ashward and other removal centres before being deported
In one case:
"the decision of a single civil servant resulted in a man spending almost a year in joil. The man had committed no crime nor been charged with any offence.
(Times, 9.5.85)
He was eventually released after his solicitors threatened the Home Office with a writ.
Confidential Home Office documents recently leaked to the press revealed instructions to officers on how to avoid publicity for the way they work in this area:
In relation to raids it says:
"Responsibility for the operation rests with the police. but officers in charge should not hesitate to bring to the notice of the police any sensitive issues which might attract criticism.
"Where at the briefing stage the use of dogs is proposed, it should be pointed out to the police that ministers have expressed concern and that complaints of an emotive nature are almost inevitable."
More Importantly on the question of detaining innocent people, the document warns:
"The immigration officers" power of arrest and detention are under continual scrutiny and attack, particularly when persons are detained and subsequently released because they were not after all illegal entrants. It is preferable to risk an occasional Illegal entrant
STOP RACIS 1 AWS | absconding rather than to put the whole of our practices at risk."
(New Statesman, 28.6.85)
By accommodating to racist prejudices, these type of policies actually affirm and promote these prejudices within the working class and in society in general.
Because they define black people as the problem, all arguments for immigration control are by definition racist and create conditions in which reaction and fascism can breed.
Particularly within the working class, arguments for immigration controis reinforce racism which is detrimental to its class interest.
One has to be completely clear that previous Labour Governments have played an equally reactionary role as the Tories - Indeed even more so when one considers that the Labour Party is supposed to unife and defend the interests of the oppressed within class society.
Labour's role is much more dangerous because each time Labour politicians or leaders justify the controls - at whatever level i may be and adapts towards "consensus politics". this reaffirms racist prejudices within the labour movement.
Labour party NEC statements on immigration in 1983, presented policies in two stages. Under "socialism'" they will agree to "freedom of movement of labour": but meanwhile since everybody else in Europe has got controls, Britain under Labour should have "anti-racist. anti-sexist immigration controis"!
This opportunistic formulation, copied from Communist Party-controlled CARL (Campaign Against Racist Laws) and the Joint Committee for the Welfare of Immigrants has also been used to demobilise black communities organising politically Socialist Viewpoint, No 8, November 1986. Page 17
IMMIGRATION against the attacks of this government. These have been derailed into legalistic forms of struggle and human rights issues.
There is a need to confront the Labour Party leadership on this policy question. Black sections and the anti-imperialist hard left should push forward policies to commit Labour to "no Immigration controls"
Yes, this means policies of an "open door", The question is not so much what might happen if Labour Introduced such policies; the question is rather whether the Labour Paty will identify itself as the Party of the oppressed and refuse to define black people as the problem. Only this way can it free itself from being yet another vehicle for institutionalised racism in Britain.
The trade unions, too, particularly those in the public sector (NUT, NUPE, COHSE, NALGO, CPSA) also play an essential role.
The strength of trade unions depends upon their solidarity: that means fighting the divisions caused within our own ranks not just with statements of opposition to racism but by vigorously taking up the fight to defend workers, directly or indirectly threatened by deportations, by adopting policies in opposition to passport checks, and opposing any collaboration with the Home Office in harassing black people.
There Is also a need to form a national campaign based on opposition to all deportations, all immigration controls. and internal controis, and noncollaboration with police and immigration authorities.