A heated exchange on GB News yesterday exposed deep divisions over a major British charity's role in reuniting refugee families. The debate centred on whether the practice encourages illegal immigration or provides essential humanitarian support through official channels.
Patrick Christys argued that charitable involvement in family reunification "aids and abets" the migrant crisis, claiming: "You don't need to pay a human trafficker, because the Red Cross will help you out."
Former Labour MP Stephen Pound strongly disagreed, insisting the programme operates through legitimate United Nations channels. "This is a legal route," he stated, emphasising that critics demand established family connections rather than single male arrivals.
The confrontation intensified when Cristo Foufas accused Pound of "talking nonsense," asserting the scheme primarily benefits single male refugees bringing relatives to Britain.
GB NEWS
|Cristo Foufas and Stephen Pound locked horns on GB News
The British Red Cross covers travel expenses for families seeking to join refugees who have secured asylum in Britain. The charity assists approximately 1,000 individuals yearly, with 959 people supported last year, including 702 children.
The organisation's refugee support extends beyond flight costs to include tracing separated family members in conflict zones and providing integration assistance.
Ellie Shepherd, head of refugee support at the British Red Cross, described their "proud history" of facilitating reunifications, noting: "The majority of cases we support are to reunite children with parents."
She emphasised the programme's humanitarian impact: "We've worked with mothers who have been separated from their babies, husbands who haven't seen their wives for years, and children desperate to reunite with their siblings."
GB NEWS
|Patrick Christys criticised the charity
Government data reveals a dramatic surge in family reunion applications, with successful visa grants jumping from 4,310 in the year ending March 2023 to 20,592 by March this year.
These figures represent a five-fold increase over three years, contributing to mounting pressure on local housing resources.
The acceleration coincides with efforts to reduce asylum application backlogs and relocate applicants from hotels. Once individuals receive refugee status, they must leave taxpayer-funded accommodation within 28 days and can immediately apply for family reunification.
Unlike standard visa requirements, family reunion applicants face no obligations to demonstrate adequate accommodation, financial resources, or English language proficiency. Recipients can access universal credit and housing benefits upon arrival, according to immigration regulations.
RED CROSS
|The row centred on a scheme set up by Red Cross
Local authorities report significant pressure on housing services as refugee families require larger accommodation than single occupants.
The Local Government Association, representing 317 English councils, warned that asylum and resettlement processes affect councils' ability to secure temporary housing amid broader system constraints.
A council housing officer described handling up to two refugee families monthly who arrive through charitable assistance programmes. "Half, or rather 99 per cent, of the time the refugees don't work, speak English, or have any intentions of working," the official stated.
Families typically include four to six children, necessitating hotel or private rental accommodation at public expense until suitable properties become available - a process potentially spanning years.
The officer added: "Everyone is going mad about illegal migrants, but an illegal migrant is one person. By the time the Red Cross is finished with them, it is a family."
A British Red Cross spokesperson said: “The British Red Cross has a proud history of supporting refugee family reunion in the UK. Our support ranges from tracing family members who may have lost contact in conflict zones, to advice and integration support.
"We’ve worked with mothers who have been separated from their babies, husbands who haven’t seen their wives for years, and children desperate to reunite with their siblings. The majority of cases we support are to reunite children with parents.
“We know from our experience that bringing families back together makes an immense difference to people’s lives. It helps people better integrate into communities and contribute to society – some people speak about it being the moment their lives truly restart. Family reunion visas are also one of the few safe and legal ways to help bring people – mostly women and children - from danger to safety.”