Asylum Seekers in 'Limbo'

Although it is natural for lawyers to focus on decisions, made by the State, because they affect our clients, we must remind ourselves that sometimes the absence of a decision has major consequences too. The theme of this talk is that ‘limbo’ is a place no asylum-seeker should have to be in for too long. An undetermined status means an asylum seeker is technically not ‘here’ at all, has fewer rights than the rest of us, and is liable to serious detriment such as detention.

• Paper given by David Pievsky at Asylum Law Seminar, March 2009