Sharing immigration information – guidance for Maracs

This briefing provides guidance on sharing proportionate and relevant immigration status information through the Marac process, to safeguard victims at risk.

Any information shared with non-attending agencies – including immigration enforcement agencies – should only be done with the agreement of the Marac and only where it will directly improve the safety of the adult or child victims.

Maracs must ensure that information shared within the process has safeguarding of the victim(s) as the absolute focus. Information should not be used to support immigration enforcement proceedings and such professionals should not attend Marac meetings. No agency should pass on information shared at Marac meetings to Immigration Enforcement without explicit agreement of the Marac and then only for the purposes of safeguarding the victim(s).

In addition, Marac actions to address the behaviour of perpetrators with an insecure immigration status should use the same judicial enforcement avenues as those used for perpetrators with no such insecure immigration status. Treating the perpetrator differently from other perpetrators who have committed and continue to commit offences, but whose crimes go un-challenged, could potentially be discriminatory, because those perpetrators with an insecure immigration status may be from a racial or ethnic minority background.

The briefing covers:

• Why do we need this guidance?
• Why do immigration enforcement agencies not routinely share information or attend Maracs?
• Can Immigration Enforcement ever contribute to the Marac process?
• What is the role of a Marac in relation to the immigration status of adult and child victims?
• What is the role of a Marac in relation to the immigration status of perpetrators?
• Expertise on immigration in Marac meetings