'New asylum rules would make me feel unwelcome'

A refugee who lives in Shrewsbury after fleeing South Sudan has said he would feel unaccepted by society if he had to wait 20 years before being able to settle in the UK permanently.

Andrew Kueth shared his concerns after the government unveiled what was billed as the biggest change to the UK immigration system "in modern times" - plans that have drawn complaint from some MPs and the backing of others.

One of the proposals could see refugees needing to be a resident in the UK for 20 years before they could apply for permanent residence or indefinite leave to remain - up from five years.

Mr Kueth, who has secured the right to remain in the UK since his arrival, called the plans "unfair".

The 21-year-old said had he been subjected to the system now being floated "I would feel like I'm not being accepted in society, I would see myself as not belonging here any more".

The government says its plans - which include additional measures - are aimed at reducing the number of people coming to the UK and increasing removals of people who do not have a legal right to be in the country.

But Mr Kueth queried whether it was appropriate to apply stiffer time frames to those genuinely seeking asylum.

"It would not be fair to those that are genuine for this country, that are working," he said of the government's plans.

"I work right now, I pay my own bills, I do everything. I'm not asking for anything from the government," he told the BBC.

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Other proposals include people granted refugee status only being allowed to stay in the country temporarily, with their status reviewed every 30 months - half the current time period.

People could be returned to their home country when deemed safe to do so.

The Refugee Council, which supports asylum-seekers, says making refugee status temporary is "inhumane".

Mr Kueth arrived in the UK in 2021, having left Sudan in 2013 before journeying across two continents.

He said: "I do deserve to have the same rights as everyone because I'm a human being and I'm not trying to seek help. You've already given me help by giving me papers so I can be able to work."

He said that while he believed revisions needed to be made to existing asylum policy, he thought that the suggested new rules "would not change anything" and would not stop people travelling to the UK to live.

'Baby steps'

Some Labour MPs have expressed concerns since the plan were unveiled by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, with Nadia Whittome in the Commons calling them "dystopian" and "shameful".

Conservatives, meanwhile, have given the plans a cautious welcome, with Tory leader Kemi Badenoch calling them "positive baby steps".

Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Max Wilkinson welcomed the introduction of new safe and legal routes but accused the home secretary of "stoking division by using immoderate language".

Other Labour MPs have expressed support for Mahmood. Chris Murray told BBC Radio 5 Live the system had to be fair "otherwise it'll collapse, and there's nothing progressive about letting that happen".

MP for Blackley and Middleton South, Graham Stringer, said the home secretary was "going down the right track".

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said the home secretary "sounds like a Reform supporter".