Two people are arrested following an investigation into immigration and legal advisers allegedly advising asylum seekers to present themselves as gay to improve their chances of gaining asylum in the UK. BBC News reports that its investigation found some advisers are alleged to help people create or present evidence suggesting they are gay, including ways to obtain or assemble materials to support asylum claims. The reporting describes the use of migrants and their cases as part of an undercover investigation, in which advisers allegedly gave guidance on preparing claims based on sexual orientation. PinkNews adds that the investigation involved allegations that people with expiring visas were told how to obtain fake or fabricated supporting material, such as letters or photographs, to accompany asylum applications.
Multiple outlets state that arrests follow the findings. The Daily Mail reports that a man and a woman are arrested after an undercover recording showed a legal adviser telling an undercover reporter, posing as a migrant, to pretend to be gay to claim asylum. The BBC and other coverage present the cases as part of action taken in response to the investigation’s allegations.
