Week of Prayer for the Nationality and Borders Bill

On Monday December 6^th the Nationality and Borders Bill is due to come back to be debated for its third reading in the House of Commons.

Those who have worked in the refugee sector for many years see the bill as the most inhumane piece of asylum legislation for over 20 years, and believe that it will criminalise genuine refugees and lead to untold suffering and unnecessary trauma for those who seek sanctuary in the UK.

Christian organisations believe that the main proposals are in diametrically opposed to Jesus’ teachings on welcome, compassion and the intrinsic worth of every human being.

Jubilee+ and the Glasgow Prayer Focus on Refugees have joined together to ask Christians across the UK to set aside time before or during the week beginning December 5^th to pray for the Bill.

Could you commit to one hour or more during the week to pray, either as an individual or with others in your church? If you can, please let us know what you are planning by emailing dave.smith@jubilee-plus.org 

You can find an updated guide to the bill on the Jubilee+ Refugee Network website News Page.

These are ten sets of prayer points around the bill. They are far from prescriptive, but will hopefully give a steer.

1. Pray for the Home Secretary Priti Patel, who is the driving force behind the Nationality and Borders Bill.

Pray that her heart will be softened towards refugees, that she will understand the reality of why people flee and seek sanctuary in the UK.

Pray that she listens to the concerns of those with lived experience and those who support them.

Pray that she will be open to effective, humane alternatives to those policies which will casue more suffering for those seeking sanctuary in the UK

2. Pray for those MPs who are Christians.

Pray that they will speak up on behalf of refugees, and call for a system that reflects the heart of God for the vulnerable and marginalized.

Pray that they will be willing to vote against those parts of the bill that are unchristian, even if that means they have to defy their own party to do so.

Pray that they will have influence within their party and with others of faith: that they will be granted persuasive arguments and wisdom, and that God will bless them for their obedience.

3. Pray for other MPs who are people of integrity and good character, that they will be aware of the immoral and inhumane implications of the bill.

Pray that they too will have influence with their peers, and be willing to stand up for what they know to be right.

Pray that they too will be prepared to vote with their consciences rather than on party lines.

4. Pray for our Prime Minister.

Although he is not leading on this legislation, he will be influential. In the past he has mooted an amnesty for asylum seekers who have been refused but not removed – perhaps he will be open to other pragmatic solutions like that, rather than the stick that the Home Secretary is wielding.

5. Pray for the Chancellor and other MPs who are concerned about ‘the cost to the taxpayer’.

Pray that they realise how exorbitant the costs of offshore processing centres would be.

Pray that other costs in the asylum system will become public knowledge, so that people realise that the biggest costs are not asylum benefits or legal aid, but rather unnecessary private contracts and deterrence schemes.

6. Pray for the NGOs who have been working tirelessly against the bill.

Here are some of the main ones. Together With Refugees coalition, Asylum Matters, Refugee Council, Refugee Action, Jubilee+, Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI), St.Vincent de Paul Society, Joint Public Issues Team (JPIT).

Pray that their strategies are successful, as they engage with MPs, write to the Prime Minister and think how to influence voting intentions.

7. Pray for the idea of Offshore Processing Centres to be scrapped.

Pray that MPs will realise how much it would cost, and how inhumane it would be.

8. Pray that there will be an awareness of the legal implications of the bill.

Pray that MPs will understand that the bill is incompatible with the UN Refugee Convention.

Pray that MPs will realise how much of the bill has been deemed ‘unlawful’ by legal experts such as the Law Society.

Pray that MPs will realise that the two-tier system will damage our global image and undermine  the notion that the UK welcomes refugees.

Pray that MPs understand that the channel crossing pushback policy is illegal under maritime law.

9. Pray for good media coverage.

Apart from the usual pro-refugee papers, there have been a few other media items questioning parts of the bill.

Pray that there will be more negative coverage of the bill in papers that traditionally stigmatise asylum seekers.

Pray for major TV channels like the BBC, ITV and Sky News to give favourable coverage to refugees and point out the faults of the bill.

10. Pray for the refugees themselves.

                Pray that those who have refugee status will be willing to speak up.

                Pray for the physical and mental health of those who are waiting for decisions: pray that they are at peace and not affected by the threats of the bill.

Pray that Christians are able to offer comfort and support, and that some will come to faith through that.

Pray for those crossing the channel; for their safety, for them to be rescued if they are in danger, and for good treatment when they arrive in the UK.