The UN refugee agency has condemned David Cameron's proposed IMMIGRATION LAWS on Foreigners.

António Guterres, UN high commissioner for refugees, raised concerns that the immigration bill could damage communities and lead to the marginalisation of refugees and asylum-seekers.

The UN refugee agency has condemned David Cameron's proposed immigration laws over fears they could stigmatise foreigners, deny housing to people in need and create a "climate of ethnic profiling".

In a highly critical document, the office of the United Nations high commissioner for refugees, António Guterres, raised concerns that theimmigration bill will damage communities and lead to the marginalisation of refugees and asylum-seekers.

It comes after Tories reacted angrily to the UN's special investigator on housing, Raquel Rolnik, who warned earlier this year that the bedroom tax was causing "shocking" hardship in parts of the UK.

Cameron has proposed the immigration bill in order to crack down on illegal immigrants, restricting access to bank accounts and private housing, as well as forcing temporary migrants to pay for public servicessuch as the NHS.

However, the commissioner is worried that legal refugees and asylum-seekers will be caught up in the new restrictions, as landlords, GPs and banks will find it difficult to interpret their immigration status. The commissioner said these protected groups would suffer discrimination if the legislation went ahead.

"The provisions of the bill appear likely to result in asylum-seekers, refugees and beneficiaries of subsidiary protection being stigmatised in the public mind and in their being denied access to housing or bank accounts," the UNHCR said in a briefing note to MPs.

"The UN high commissioner for refugees is concerned that if introduced, such measures could contribute towards a climate of misunderstanding and ethnic profiling that could undermine the longer-term prospects for integration of such persons and prove detrimental to social cohesion.

"Additionally, the UN high commissioner for refugees is concerned that the types of documentation carried by asylum-seekers, refugees, beneficiaries of subsidiary protection and stateless people can be varied and complex, and landlords and other service providers are likely to misinterpret the legality of their status.

"It will also impose an additional administrative burden on them. These challenges may have unintended consequences such as the denial of housing and other services to asylum-seekers, refugees, beneficiaries of subsidiary protection that result in their marginalisation and inhibit their integration in the United Kingdom."

The UNHCR, which is currently working with 10 million refugees in disaster zones such as Syria, also raised concerns about changes to the UK legal system after Theresa May, the home secretary, said she wanted to make it easier for illegal immigrants to be deported before they have the chance to appeal.

The Home Office declined to comment specifically on the UNHCR's concerns.

Source: Guardian UK