Jessy Edwards  |  September 10, 2021

Category: Discrimination

Top Class Actions’s website and social media posts use affiliate links. If you make a purchase using such links, we may receive a commission, but it will not result in any additional charges to you. Please review our Affiliate Link Disclosure for more information.

home office, afghanistan
(Photo Credit: Bumble Dee/Shutterstock)

Afghan Interpreter Home Office Relocation Rejection Lawsuit Overview:

  • Who: An Afghan man who worked as an interpreter for UK and US troops in Afghanistan is suing the Home Office.
  • Why: The man is accusing the Home Office of unfairly rejecting his relocation application.
  • Where: The lawsuit was filed in the United Kingdom, while the man remains in hiding in Afghanistan.

An Afghan interpreter who worked for UK and US troops in Afghanistan for five years is taking legal action against the Home Office after it rejected his application to come to Britain “without any reason.” 

The 38-year-old says he was among the thousands who tried to leave Afghanistan on planes from Kabul last month, however he was shot and forced to go into hiding with his family, The National News reported.

In May, the interpreter was accepted to the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (Arap) scheme run by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) due to the fact he worked for both British and US forces between 2011 and 2016, immigration lawyer Rehana Popal said. 

However, two months later, his application for relocation was rejected by the Home Office.

Popal said there were about a dozen individuals in the same position, with a “serious question of injustice” in the process. 

“While I accept the Home Office will have to ensure they uphold national security, it’s hard for individuals who fought alongside British soldiers on the front line and have put their lives on the line,” she said. 

“Having been accepted by the MoD it is then absurd they are rejected by the Home Office without any reason.

Popal says the man was temporarily placed on a watch list after he disclosed to the US government that extended family members were in the Taliban. However after taking a polygraph test in 2011, he was removed from the watch list and resumed working for US and British troops.

Popal said, in its rejection letter, the Home Office said the interpreter’s presence in the UK “has been assessed as not conducive to the public good on grounds of national security due to [his] conduct, character and associations”.

“I am therefore satisfied that your presence in the UK would not be conducive to the public good,” it said.

The High Court has urged the government to disclose why the man is considered a danger.

A spokesman for the government said the UK’s evacuation operation had helped more than 15,000 people to safety including British nationals and Afghan interpreters. 

“But there are people in Afghanistan who represent a serious threat to our national and public security. 

“That is why thorough checks are taking place by government, our world-class intelligence agencies and others and if someone is assessed as presenting as a risk to our country, we will take action.”

Meanwhile, commonwealth veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan are taking legal action against the Home Office and Ministry of Defence, claiming they endured systemic failure to support soldiers with complicated immigration rules after discharge. Read more on that case here

What do you think of the Home Office’s response? Let us know in the comments. 


Don’t Miss Out!

Check out our list of Class Action Lawsuits and Class Action Settlements you may qualify to join!


Read About More Class Action Lawsuits & Class Action Settlements:

We tell you about cash you can claim EVERY WEEK! Sign up for our free newsletter.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. By submitting your comment and contact information, you agree to receive marketing emails from Top Class Actions regarding this and/or similar lawsuits or settlements, and/or to be contacted by an attorney or law firm to discuss the details of your potential case at no charge to you if you qualify. Required fields are marked *

Please note: Top Class Actions is not a settlement administrator or law firm. Top Class Actions is a legal news source that reports on class action lawsuits, class action settlements, drug injury lawsuits and product liability lawsuits. Top Class Actions does not process claims and we cannot advise you on the status of any class action settlement claim. You must contact the settlement administrator or your attorney for any updates regarding your claim status, claim form or questions about when payments are expected to be mailed out.