I am a human rights lawyer, representing asylum seekers, victims of trafficking and other marginalised clients to assert their rights.

In 2021 the Home Office launched its strategy to ‘become digital by design’. This includes increasing its use of automated decision-making (ADM) to replace or assist human decision-makers. ADM promises increased efficiency and lower costs but risks bias and privacy breaches.

In my work, I have experienced that technological development is outpacing intellectual inquiry and regulation. It still remains largely unknown when or how decisions are generated by ADM, limiting individuals’ ability to scrutinise them. This is concerning as decisions within the immigration system can have life-changing consequences for people in very vulnerable situations. So it’s important the UK gets the regulation of ADM in this context right; and sets a positive example for countries around the world.

The US and Canada are also trialling ADM in their immigration systems. I plan to prepare a comparative analysis on the legal, policy and public responses on the uses of ADM in the immigration context, resulting in policy recommendations for best practice.