Closed arms, closed hearts?

Most GCSEThe national exams taken by 15 and 16-year-olds in parts of the UK. students are worrying about mocks, revision, burnout and how to fill the long summer ahead of them after they finish their exams.

But for 16-year-old Ann Bashir, such worries would be a luxury. The Year 11 student from SudanA country in northeast Africa with a population of 45 million. , who came to England in 2020, is being threatened with deportationForcing someone to leave a country. in April - before she could even sit the exams that she has been studying for.

Ann and her family fled Sudan after her sister was arrested and detained for 33 days for taking part in peaceful anti-government protests. Her father, who was also arrested, is missing and presumed dead. The family fears for their safety and even lives if they return to Sudan.

And this is not the family's first challenge in the UK. In November, they were relocated from Brighton, where Ann attends school, to emergency accommodation in London's Tower Hamlets, forcing Ann to undertake a daily two hour commute to Brighton and back.¹

Now, Ann's family's application for asylum has been rejected by Britain's Home OfficeThe government department responsible for immigration, security, law and order. . They have appealed the decision, and are awaiting a verdictA decision made on an issue, especially at the end of a trial - but not always. in April - but if it is upheld, Ann and her family will be deported immediately.

Ann's fellow students at Brighton's Cardinal Newman Catholic School have rushed to show their support. A petition to "save our student from deportation" has more than 4,500 signatures.² Her friends are writing letters to Home SecretaryIn Britain, they are responsible for national security, immigration and policing. Suella Braverman.

It is far from the first recent controversy concerning Britain's Home Office. The government's new small boats bill, which dictates that refugees arriving in the UK illegally should be instantly held and deported, has attracted a lot of criticism.

Yes: Ann's story shows that Britain is clearly no longer a welcoming country. She has lived in the UK for years and is threatened by deportation to a country where her life could be at risk.

No: It is costing the UK more than £6 million per day to accommodate refugees and asylum seekers. Many agree that the system needs to be overhauled - and that current services are struggling with the number of arrivals.

Or... The fact that Ann's community has rallied around her shows that Britain is still a welcoming country. Despite the policies of the government, the British people still have open arms.