Migrant Digital Justice
The Migrant Digital Justice programme empowers the migrants’ rights sector to challenge technologies used in immigration.
About the programme
The UK Home Office has sweeping powers to target migrants, refugees and asylum seekers. It has a mandate to access personal data from GPs, hospitals, schools and job centres. This data is used to track down individuals for immigration, detention or deportation in a digital hostile environment. We’re fighting back.
ORG works in partnership with organisations supporting all categories of migrants and refugees to address digital rights and privacy issues affecting their clients. We help them to understand how data sharing and new technologies are influencing immigration policy.
We also work with a range of stakeholders including government, the Home Office, Parliament, the Independent Chief Inspector for Borders and Immigration (ICIBI) to drive policy change.
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Stop the eVisa Scandal
The Home Office’s flawed eVisa scheme means that many migrants can’t prove their right to be in the UK.
Digital Sanctuary
When individuals migrate, their data migrates with them. Data is exposing of identity, putting people who are fleeing threats at considerable risk. Migrants and refugees need physical safety, but also protection over their digital identity and information.
Migrants, refugees and asylum seekers are being subjected to increasing levels of surveillance through data collection and sharing between government agencies, as well as through immigration technologies run by third party organisations. We call for Digital Sanctuary.
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Why Migrants Need Digital Sanctuary
Migrants should enjoy the same human rights as everyone else, including digital rights.
THE CHALLENGE THE CHECKS CAMPAIGN
With Migrants’ Rights Network and Migrants At Work we’re challenging right to work checks.
Find out moreKnow Your Rights
Challenging the government’s digital hostile environment starts with knowing your rights. Subject access requests are an important tool to help migrants understand what data is being held about them and how to challenge decisions affecting their lives. That’s why we’ve developed tools to help migrants exercise their data rights.
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Digital Rights Toolkit
Our toolkit offers practical advice to find out what information organisations hold about you and how to correct errors.
DIGITAL RIGHTS TIPS FOR MIGRANTS
Seven tips for refugees and migrants to exercise digital rights effectively.
Find out moreThe Immigration Exception
The government attempted to introduce an exemption in data protection law that would deny migrants access to their own data in the interests of ‘immigration control’. ORG and the3million challenged this through the courts and defeated the government at every step. We continue to fight for strong protections and safeguards.
ORG and the 3million win in the court of appeal
Home Office cannot sidestep Parliament when using personal data to profile migrants.
Find out moreGovernment update to the Immigration Exemption
Government’s response to the Court order is the bare minimum.
Find out moremigrant digital justice newsletter
Keep up to date with developments in data and technology affecting our immigration and migrants’ rights.
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The Story So Far
Why Migrants Need Digital Sanctuary
When individuals migrate, their data migrates with them.Government does the bare minimum to update the Immigration Exemption
ORG and the3million took the Government to court several times before the Government accepted that the Immigration Exemption was unlawful.Fines Hiked For Firms Employing Illegal Migrants
The recent announcement by Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick regarding the proposed rules to triple fines for businesses and landlords supposedly supporting illegal migrants has ignited significant concerns, calling for careful reconsideration, as their implications run deep and require immediate attention.Compassion needed at the Home Office
This year marks the 25th anniversary of Refugee Week, and the theme is compassion, celebrating the resilience of refugees and asylum seekers.Migrants’ Data Rights Under Attack
If you are a migrant in the UK, asylum seeker, refugee or working on this issue, you must read this carefully.Introducing Sara Alsherif
Hello everyone, My name is Sara Alsherif, and I am excited to introduce myself as the new Programme Manager for the Migrant Digital Justice Programme.Data Sharing and Migrant Women Reporting Abuse
On 9 December 2022, The Wales Cross Party Group on Digital Rights and Democracy, of which Open Rights Group is the secretariat, held its second session, this time held on data sharing and migrant women reporting domestic abuse.EDRi’s first Colour of Surveillance Europe Conference
In September, European Digital Rights (EDRi) held the first Colour of Surveillance Europe Conference in Amsterdam and it was such a privilege for me to be selected to attend both days of the conference.Migrant Digital Justice Toolkit
How-to-fight data discrimination – launching a new toolkit for the migrants’ rights sector The Migrant Digital Justice Programme (MDJP) at ORG is proud to launch our Migrant Digital Justice Toolkit.New name and start for our migration work
Since its inception in 2020, our immigration, data and technology programme has worked to understand the needs and capacities of civil society organisations in the field of migrant’ rights and support them to incorporate digital advocacy in their work.Government disregards Court’s Immigration Exemption ruling
This week the House of Commons and the House of Lords will consider the Government’s proposed legislation regarding amendments to the immigration exemption.Newsletter: Migration, Data and Digital Rights
Welcome to the November edition of Migration, Data and Digital Rights!Afghans targeted by fake Home Office website
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is currently deciding whether it will take further action against a fake website created by the Home Office.Digital deception & disinformation used to deter migrants
The Information Commissioner’s Office has opened an investigation into a fake website created by the Home Office.Immigration, Data & Technology Newsletter
Welcome to the July edition of Immigration, Data and Technology!Newsletter: Immigration, Data and Technology
Welcome to the May edition of Immigration, Data and Technology!Immigration, Data and Technology newsletter
Welcome to the third edition of Immigration, Data and Technology!Europe cannot rubber stamp the UK’s data laws
The United Kingdom is currently awaiting a decision from Europe on whether it provides adequate standards of data protection.Data & Immigration update – February newsletter
Welcome to the second edition of Immigration, Data and Technology!Newsletter: Immigration, Data and Technology
Happy New Year!How will the National Data Strategy affect migrants and refugees?
In early September the government launched its National Data Strategy (NDS) which it described as ‘an ambitious, pro-growth strategy that aims to drive the UK in building a world-leading data economy while ensuring public trust in data use.Data & Trust: Will migrants use the NHS app?
A fortnight ago, the NHSX Covid-19 App was launched across England and Wales following the many concerns raised by civil society and privacy advocates including Open Rights Group (ORG) both collectively and individually regarding privacy and security.Immigration sector privacy concerns
As part of ORG’s work in the area of immigration we have consulted 30 organisations on their priorities and needs.Immigration Bill brings surveillance to EU migrants
The UK immigration regime is set for major changes, as the UK leaves the EU.Data, privacy and new tech in the immigration sector
Understanding the needs and capacities to deal with data, privacy and the use of new technologies in the immigration sector Please take a moment to answer our survey on the immigration sector needs and capacities to deal with privacy, personal data, digital and technological changes: https://www.NHSX tracking app Privacy Assessment: Key Concerns
NHSX finally released the Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) for their contact tracing app at the weekend.Hostile environment may stop migrants from using NHSX tracker app
This week the Government confirmed that the NHSX app being developed as a response to the Covid-19 pandemic is using a centralised contact matching system.Contact tracing apps & vulnerable migrants: key concerns
In our recent blog we discussed the emerging privacy issues around contact tracing and ‘immunity passports’, and the announcement from Google and Apple that they are jointly working on a contact tracing app.Brexit, Data Privacy and the EU Settled Status Scheme
The EU Settled Status Scheme (“the scheme”) provides the administrative route through which all EU nationals must apply to remain in the UK after 30 June 2021, in the event of a deal, or 31 December 2020, in the event of no deal.What is at stake with the immigration exemption legal challenge?
The immigration exemption in the Data Protection Act 2018 will remove key data protection rights for everyone in the United Kingdom.The Data Protection Bill’s Immigration Exemption must go
The government has introduced a sweeping “immigration exemption” in Schedule 2, Paragraph 4.More Information
14 October, 2025
Digital Privacy
Know Your Digital Rights: A Guide to Subject Access Requests
Open Rights Group aims to provide migrants and people working within the migrants’ rights sector with practical information and advice on how their data and digital technology are being used for immigration control.
Find Out More
23 May, 2023
How the Data Grab Bill harms migrants’ data rights
Briefing on the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill
If you are a migrant in the UK, asylum seeker, refugee or working on this issue, you should read this carefully.
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10 December, 2020
Open Letter: Impact of the National Data Strategy on migrants and refugees
Open letter to the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sports on the impact of the National Data Strategy on migrants and refugees.
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02 December, 2020
Immigration, Data and Technology: Needs and Capacities of the Immigration Sector
This report is based on the findings of a survey launched earlier this year with Privacy International to identify the needs and capacities of migrants’ rights organisations to respond to data, privacy and the use of new technologies.
Find Out More
28 February, 2018
Open Rights Group and the3million Joint Briefing for Second Reading of the Data Protection Bill in the House of Commons
Joint Briefing1: Second Reading of the Data Protection Bill in the House of Commons
The briefing is also available in pdf format.
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07 December, 2017
Immigration Exemptions: Government Position – Open Rights Group Response
This briefing is a breakdown of the Government’s response in Committee to the debate on Schedule 2 Paragraph 4 which would create an exemption from GDPR provisions to personal data processed for the purposes of “the maintenance of effective immigration control”, or “the investigation or detection of activities that would undermine the maintenance of effective immigration control”.
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07 December, 2017
Joint Briefing: Immigration Exemptions in the Data Protection Bill Need To Be Removed
Open Rights Group and the3million
JOINT BRIEFING: IMMIGRATION EXEMPTIONS IN THE DATA PROTECTION BILL NEED TO BE REMOVED.
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Press Releases
27 June, 2024
37 organisations ask parliamentary candidates to use respectful language about migrants
Human rights, migrant and justice rights organisations have written to all parliamentary candidates asking them to use humanising and respectful language when talking about migrants and refugees.
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11 December, 2023
ORG and the 3million win in court again
The Immigration Exemption to data protection is STILL unlawful as Courts tell Home Office again that they cannot sidestep Parliament when using personal data to profile migrants.
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26 May, 2021
Immigration Exemption judged unlawful, excessive, wrong by Court of Appeal
Today the court of appeal has unanimously found that the UK immigration exemption is incompatible with Article 23 of the GDPR.
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03 March, 2021
Documents reveal controversial Immigration Exemption used in 70% of access requests to Home Office
Documents released today by the digital rights organisation Open Rights Group show that a controversial exemption in data protection law in the United Kingdom was used in over 70% of data access requests to the Home Office in 2020.
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03 October, 2019
Open Rights Group and the3million seek to appeal immigration exemption judgment
The organisations argued at the High Court hearing, that took place on 23 and 24 July 2019, that the exemption is far too broad and is contrary to the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR).
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24 July, 2019
Controversial ‘immigration exemption’ used in 60% of cases, court case reveals
The figure was confirmed on the first day of a High Court challenge brought by the Open Rights Group and the3million.
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22 July, 2019
High Court to hear judicial review of the immigration exemption for data protection rights
The legal challenge has been brought by the Open Rights Group and the3million who argue that the immigration exemption, which passed into law in May 2018 as part of the Data Protection Act 2018, is unlawful.
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30 August, 2018
Open Rights Group and the3million launch judicial review challenging the Data Protection Act’s immigration exemption
The challenge has been brought by Open Rights Group (ORG) – a UK based digital campaigning organisation working to protect the rights to privacy and free speech online and the3million – the largest grassroots organisation of EU citizens living in the UK.
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09 May, 2018
Rights groups to take Government to court over shocking immigration exemption
This exemption will affect everyone involved in an immigration case, for example: those seeking refuge in the UK, those affected by the Windrush scandal, the three million EU citizens who will have to submit their applications for a new immigration status after Brexit.
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