Waltham Forest Migrant Action

02/10/2026

📣 Some good news to end the week.

The cruel, unworkable 'one in, one out' deal with France has been scrapped 🙌🏽

But remember, it's just one of many anti-migrant policies on the table at the moment - including the Asylum and Immigration Bill going through Parliament right now!

On Monday, during her speech at Labour Party Conference, Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood seemed to soften her tone a little ... but will she go far enough? 🤔

We need her to scrap the Bill and give people seeking safety the opportunity to rebuild their lives in the UK.

This is why we are supporting Refugee and Migrant Justice ‘s campaign and encouraging our supporters to contact their MP to call on the Home Secretary to Scrap the Bill.

Let's keep up the pressure 💥

Click the link in comments to find out more about the campaign and how to contact your MP!


are our

🧡

25/09/2026

Earlier this week, Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband shared findings from a report that found that the collapse of natural systems around the world would lead to conflict, migration and food shortages.

Meanwhile, far-right agitator D. Thomas filmed himself slashing a boat with a rescue worker on board.

On Sunday, Labour MPs will heading to Liverpool for Party Conference. But will they address the growing crises we face? Will the Home Secretary stop pandering to the far-right and shelve hostile policies?

Together we can still STOP 'earned settlement' proposals ... but time is running out.

Email your MP today!

👇🏽link in comments below

With thanks to 'Not a Stranger' campaign &

Migrants are our community 🧡

18/09/2026

🚨 TONIGHT!

Under Milk Wood

The Vestry Sessions return to St Mary's with Dylan Thomas’ famous play for voices - ‘Under Milk Wood’, a celebration of language, people and place.

Adapted for the stage by director David Abramsky, this version reimagines this fever dream about a long-remembered homeland as a parable of what it means to be a migrant, refugee or anyone who ends up somewhere far from where they started.

This event supports the work of WFMA.

📆 Friday 18 Sept. 2026
📍 St Mary's Church, 8 Church End, Walthamstow, E17 9RJ
⏰ Door time: 7:30pm, start time: 8:00pm
♿️ Step free access with accessible toilets

➡️ Tickets: https://wegottickets.com/f/26643?occurrence=2026-09-18

15/09/2026

The Home Office is pursuing plans to create an additional 1,000 detention spaces by expanding the detention centres at Campsfield and Haslar. This would expand the size of the detention estate by around 40%.

Both applications will now go to a public inquiry, where the Planning Inspector will hear and test the evidence for and against the plans before making a decision.

* The Campsfield inquiry starts on 6 October 2026
* The Haslar inquiry starts on 17 November 2026

How can you take part in the public inquiries?

Both the Campsfield and Haslar inquiries will be open to the public. You can attend simply to listen, or you can ask to speak as an interested party and make objections to the Planning Inspector.

You do not need to be a planning expert to have something important to contribute. People with lived experience of detention, families and communities affected by detention, local residents, campaign groups and organisations may all have relevant evidence and experience that the Inspector should hear.

Follow the link below for a detailed blog which outlines the full process as we know it. We will continue to update the blog as we know more.

Please share widely with networks and communities!

https://righttoremain.org.uk/challenging-detention-expansion-how-to-take-part-in-the-campsfield-and-haslar-inquiries/

15/09/2026

The London Assembly has criticised London’s Green Councils for opposing immigration enforcement raids.

Read our quote in the Waltham Forest Echo & full statement below:

WFMA is at the forefront of providing free immigration and welfare advice to migrants in our community.

We are very concerned by anti-migrant policies that seek to withhold and criminalise the right of people to seek refuge. One of the many consequences of hostile environment policies is an exponential increase in immigration enforcement - such as raids, detentions and deportations.

Immigration enforcement doesn't keep communities safe. It instills a sense of mistrust, fear and division. We have seen the impact on migrant communities affected by ICE raids in the U.S.. But we have ICE here too. Between October 2024 and September 2025, there were 21,917 raids on communities across the UK - a 38% increase on the previous year.

As an organisation, we work to build a community where everyone - regardless of their immigration status - is safe, welcome, and treated with dignity and respect. We campaigned, alongside others in Waltham Forest, for a borough of sanctuary, where the Council would no longer be complicit in multi-agency immigration enforcement raids. We welcome the new Green Party led Council's commitment to working together to make Waltham Forest a true borough of sanctuary.

Greater London Authority members have passed a motion condemning Green-led councils, including Waltham Forest, for refusing to cooperate with the Home Office on immigration raids

03/09/2026

‼️ Important notice ‼️

There will be NO provision of Welfare Advice at the drop-in on Fridays 11, 18 & 25 September 2026.

Normal welfare services will resume on Friday 02 October 2026.

We apologise for any inconvenience.

28/08/2026

Must read / listen!

The interview with Cllr Peter Harris, in which he shares so much misinformation yet goes pretty much unchallenged by presenter Ben Fryer tells you everything you need
to know about the level of misinformation that has seeped into mainstream media!

Thank you Refugee and Migrant Justice for the great work!

Migrants are our community! (remember this when you head to Notting Hill carnival this weekend!

28/08/2026

28/08/2026

📣 Our latest update has dropped! ⬇️

It covers some of the key events that have punctuated this summer - from Ceuta to French police violently slashing boats, and the UK Prime Minister issuing misplaced warnings to people seeking safety - it's been more of the same!

The anti-migrant bill will continue making its way through Parliament in autumn - and we know full well the meaning of tighter laws: more immigration enforcement, expansion of detention centres and more live facial recognition on our streets.

We are therefore really looking forward to cohosting a 'We Keep Us Safe' workshop with and Waltham Forest Anti Raids Network!

➡️ Get your free ticket today! details & 🔗 in the newsletter 😉

Wishing you a wonderful bank holiday weekend - especially if you make you way to the Notting Hill Carnival ... brought to us by our amazing Caribbean siblings. More evidence - were it needed - that migrants are our community!

We’ve been closed for a couple of weeks, settling into our new space – please keep sharing our news address: St Mary’s Welcome Centre, 8 Church End, E17 9RJ. The drop-in will reopen on …

18/08/2026

📣 We are recruiting support centre volunteers!

Every Friday morning we run a drop in providing free immigration, housing and welfare advice and we're looking for compassionate, patient volunteers who share our values and want to make a difference to people's lives.

If that's you - please get in touch! 🧡

Apply now for Support Centre Volunteer. , Unpaid role, expenses paid, find a career with meaning today