It has been disclosed that a growing faction of illegal immigrants in the United Kingdom has been embracing Christianity and asserting potential persecution in their home countries as grounds for avoiding deportation.
Individuals claiming to have embraced Christianity after arriving in the UK have faced scrutiny for exploiting the asylum application system, which permits newcomers to seek refuge based on perceived risks related to their race, religion, nationality, or political beliefs.
Reportedly, among the 300 refugees residing aboard the Bibby Stockholm, a floating shelter in Dorset, forty are now participating in local church services to strengthen their case for remaining in the country. Similar occurrences have been noted elsewhere in the UK.
Illegal Immigrants in UK Embracing Christianity, Alleging Religious Persecution to Evade Deportation (Credits: Christianity Today)
The Church of England has received criticism for facilitating these conversions, with former Home Secretary Suella Braverman accusing the clergy of involvement in “political activism.”
Braverman, in a recent piece for the Telegraph, highlighted her awareness of churches across the country aiding what she termed as “industrial-scale bogus asylum claims.”
She claimed that migrants are directed to these churches upon their arrival in the UK, where they attend mass regularly, build rapport with the clergy, schedule baptisms, and subsequently present themselves as devout Christians facing potential persecution if returned to their countries of origin.
She urged for an end to this practice and called upon fellow Britons to be vigilant about the issue.
Among those who have been granted asylum after converting to Christianity is Abdul Ezedi, who is suspected of perpetrating a chemical attack in London on January 31, injuring a mother and her toddler.
Originally from Afghanistan, Ezedi had a prior conviction for sexual assault in 2018 and was released from probation in 2020. Despite multiple asylum applications and his criminal history, he managed to secure asylum status in the UK. Authorities have been unable to locate him following the acid attack.
