Brighton politician writes to Home Office over deportation row

Councillor Hannah Allbrooke told the department to "listen to the calls of our community" and offer asylum seekers Ann and Enji Bashir and their mother "sanctuary in our country".

Cllr Allbrooke and Cllr Mac Cafferty (Image: Green Party of Brighton and Hove)

Ann, 16, her sister Enji, 21, and their mother fled Sudan in 2020, fearing for their safety after they were imprisoned and tortured for 33 days following anti-government protests.

Pharmacy student Enji, along with her 48-year-old mother and Ann, now face being deported back to North Africa after their asylum request was rejected by the authorities.

Enji also studied at university in her home country (Image: Enji Bashir)

The letter urged the Home Office to reconsider its stance on the case after it amassed significant support through demonstrations and petitions.

The letter was also signed by Councillor Phélim Mac Cafferty, leader of Brighton and Hove City Council.

Cllr Allbrooke said: "This letter was sent directly from myself and Cllr Mac Cafferty on behalf of our administration and the Green group of councillors.

"Nonetheless, we are confident that it expresses a sentiment shared across the council."

The letter read:

 Dear Secretary of State

We are writing on behalf of Ann and Enji Bashir, who are students at Cardinal Newman Catholic School and the University of Brighton respectively.

As we are sure your department is aware, Ann, Enji and their mother arrived in this country from Sudan in 2019. They have recently been informed that their appeal for asylum has been rejected and they face deportation.

Since arriving in this country, they have embedded themselves in our community in Brighton and Hove. Ann is a well-regarded member of her school community, studying towards her GCSEs. Enji is a pharmacy student who volunteered to help the covid-19 vaccination effort.

Irrespective of their individual achievements, it is clear that should they return to Sudan they will face persecution. Enji was imprisoned as a political prisoner in Sudan before they arrived in this country seeking our sanctuary. Their father has been uncontactable and is presumed imprisoned or worse still, dead. We believe it is extremely likely, should they return to Sudan, that they will face persecution.

At the date of writing, over 7,000 people have signed a petition asking for them not to be deported. We urge you to listen to the calls of our community and offer them sanctuary in our country.

The letter comes after Cllr Allbrooke pledged to students at Cardinal Newman Catholic School, where Ann studies, to use the power she holds as a leader in the city to "compel the Home Office to change course."

Enji, who is a student at the University of Brighton, was touched by the council's message.

She said: "The support from Brighton and Hove City Council gave me and my family hope, where we will very soon be able to live as normal people do.

"It is as if we are drowning, and they are the ones who are pulling our hands to save us."

In 2022, the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs said around 310,000 people were displaced, 991 people killed and 1,173 injured as a result of localised conflict and violence across Sudan.

Sudan has experienced significant unrest in recent years

The Bashirs have not heard from their father since they arrived in the UK and he is presumed killed or imprisoned.

The family live in the Tower Hamlets area of London and commute over three hours to and from Brighton every day for study.

Cllr Allbrooke added: “In terms of what else can be done to support Ann, Enji and Giehan, they live in London and therefore there isn’t necessarily that much that we can do day to day.

"In what must be an incredibly difficult time of precarity for them, they will no doubt depend on their community.

"We are a part of that, and are continuing to look into proactive steps we can take in the short-term whilst fighting to block this callous move from a Home Office committed to its hostile environment.”