Experiments in Automating Immigration Systems - Hardcover

by Jack Maxwell (Author), Joe Tomlinson (Author)

In recent years, the United Kingdom's Home Office has started using automated systems to make immigration decisions. These systems promise faster, more accurate, and cheaper decision-making, but in practice they have exposed people to distress, disruption, and even deportation. This book identifies a pattern of risky experimentation with automated systems in the Home Office. It analyses three recent case studies including: a voice recognition system used to detect fraud in English-language testing; an algorithm for identifying 'risky' visa applications; and automated decision-making in the EU Settlement Scheme. The book argues that a precautionary approach is essential to ensure that society benefits from government automation without exposing individuals to unacceptable risks.

Author Biography

Jack Maxwell is a barrister at the Victorian Bar. Joe Tomlinson is Senior Lecturer in Public Law at the University of York.