Immigration Controls, the Family and the Welfare State

Cohen challenges the assumption that one cannot work for the central or local government and challenge it at the same time. He does not encourage law breaking, but provides practical suggestions on how an official can act within the law without intentionally magnifying the problems of the person the official is obliged to serve. This book is challenging and deliberately thought-provoking, but it answers the question "what do I do?" This book should be on any syllabus on immigration and social work. Cohen has provided a thoughtful answer to many of the problems that those in social services and school are compelled to confront daily. He has done a fantastic service for all those concerned with the issue of immigration and asylum. This book cannot be praised highly enough.'

- SAGE Race Relations Abstracts

'Immigration Controls, the family and the Welfare State is all in favour of the right of Labour to migrate. The rich can always find new markets or new places to build factories, while workers are denied the same right to move. This is the most practical book you could imagine. Each chapter includes case studies and suggests how a campaign around them could work'

- Socialist Review

'Written primarily for social and welfare workers and advisers, the book sets out to unravel the complexities of immigration law, and its impact on the family and welfare rights. Among other things the book covers the history of controls, the practical application of law (using case studies), applying for immigration status, working with asylum seekers, interviewing, report writing, and liaison between welfare professionals, advisers and legal representatives. The author is an immigration lawyer with 25 years experience. He is former coordinator of the Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit, having practiced at the bar.

- Welfare Benefits

'Steve Cohen is a veteran anti-racist campaigner who has for 25 years worked as an immigration adviser, and has during that period produced lucid and compelling analysis of immigration controls and the welfare state Each chapter starts with a casework problem raising important issues of practice. The issue may be about whether the headteacher of a state school can enrol a child who has been admitted for private education; or whether an...read more...