The Government and Priti Patel are set to reform the Modern Slavery Act 2015, what will this mean for victims of trafficking?

The government have introduced the Nationality and Borders Act 2022 as a reform to immigration policy promised by Priti Patel. This act encompasses modern slavery as an immigration issue in an attempt to prevent foreign nationals and criminals from remaining in the country despite travelling across the channel illegally.

The act however risks penalising victims of trafficking rather than helping them as the legislation prioritises the removal of illegal immigrants over providing aid to genuine victims of trafficking for domestic servitude or sex.

As a result, those who come into the country illegally will be seen as…

1. Firstly an illegal immigrant
2. Secondly a potential victim of trafficking

This means that the burden is shifted onto immigrants to prove them self a victim by relaying their traumatic story to immigration officers as soon as they arrive in the UK.

If this is account is not provided within a time constraint, they risk being deported without receiving any assistance.

Part 5, Section 59 (Nationality and Borders Act 2022) stipulates that information provided to officers will classify as ‘late’ if it is provided after the date specified in the slavery of trafficking information notice.

To conclude, this new act appears to be extremely hostile to immigrants that may genuinely be vulnerable and in need of assistance. We hear stories all the time, recently Mo Farah spoke of his trafficking experience – with these new laws Farah could have faced deportation if he had not explained his story to immigration officers at first instance.

Why do the government want to reform the Modern Slavery Act 2015?

Loopholes have been discovered and exploited in this legislation introduced by the then Prime Minister, Theresa May. The immigration minister Mr Philp witnessed immigrants arriving in the UK denying