HOW SCANDAL SHAMED MAY GOVERNMENT
PRIME Minister Theresa May was forced to apologise last year to Caribbean leaders over deportation threats made to the children of Commonwealth citizens.
Despite living and working in the UK for decades, thousands were told they are living here illegally because of a lack of official paperwork. Those arriving in the UK between 1948 and 1971 from Caribbean countries were labelled the Windrush generation.
This is a reference to the ship Empire Windrush, which arrived at Tilbury Docks, Essex, on June 22, 1948.
The influx ended with the 1971 Immigration Act, when Commonwealth citizens already living in the UK were given indefinite leave to remain.
There are 500,000 people resident in the UK who were born in a Commonwealth country and arrived before 1971.
However, the Home Office did not keep a record of those granted leave to remain or issue paperwork confirming it – meaning it is difficult for Windrush arrivals to prove they are in the UK legally.
In 2010, landing cards belonging to Windrush migrants were destroyed by the Home Office.
Last year, there was an outrcry when thousands received letters warning they would be deported unless they could prove they were British.
That prompted a damaging row and the threats were lifted. In her apology, May insisted the Government was not “clamping down” on Commonwealth citizens.