A BBC undercover investigation has uncovered immigration advisers coaching migrants to fabricate LGBTQ+ identities to secure asylum in the United Kingdom.
Secret recordings reveal Tanisa Khan, an immigration adviser, offering to help a BBC reporter posing as a former student create a false narrative of being gay for asylum purposes. For a fee, Khan promised to supply fabricated evidence including supporting letters, photographs, and medical reports to bolster the fraudulent claim.
This case is part of a broader pattern where migrants facing expiring visas are allegedly being coached to claim persecution based on sexual orientation if returned to countries like Pakistan or Bangladesh. The investigation suggests systematic exploitation of asylum protections meant for genuinely persecuted individuals.
In response to the findings, the Home Office issued a statement: "Anyone found trying to exploit the system will face the full force of the law, including removal from the UK."
The revelations raise serious questions about the integrity of the asylum process and the vulnerability of a system designed to protect those fleeing genuine persecution.