Immigration policies: enforcing borders, driving hunger and creating destitution

Abstract

There is a long history of immigration control and welfare conditionality in the UK, but the interaction between immigration policies and food poverty is underresearched. This article outlines the links between immigration control and food poverty or destitution in the UK. Drawing on insights from the existing literature and a structured discussion at a participatory workshop for researchers and practitioners, the article identifies issues for research and practice around the issue of the No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) immigration rule and food poverty. We argue that future research should take a rights based approach to immigration and food poverty that engages with both the history of immigration control and the intent of public policies such as the NRPF rule.