Cardinal welcomes government decision to take some child refugees

Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster, has welcomed an announcement by Prime Minister David Cameron that the UK government has decided to resettle more child refugees. The exact numbers have not been decided yet. Only those children already in Europe before the agreement with Turkey wil be eligible for asylum.

Last month the British government refused to take in 3,000 unaccompanied refugee children. The amendment to the Immigration Bill, proposed by Lord Alfred Dubs, who came to England as a child refugee himself during World War Two, was defeated by 294 to 276 votes on 26 April. But a further amendment by Lord Dubs was passed by the House of Lords on 27 April by a decisive 279 to 172 votes - and pressure has been mounting in the Commons for the UK to accept some unaccompanied children.

Cardinal Nichols said: "I am very happy that the government is extending an offer of sanctuary to a greater number of children fleeing conflict, while continuing to combat the evils of human trafficking. The UK's response to the refugee crisis is improving the lives of thousands. I encourage the Catholic community to keep on playing its part through working with local authorities; being generous with time and resources, and extending the hand of welcome to refugees arriving here."

See also: ICN 26 April 2016 Catholic agencies shocked at government refusal to take in unaccompanied child refugees

www.indcatholicnews.com/news.php?viewStory=29939