Residents of the village of Piddington in Oxfordshire held a symbolic referendum on leaving the United Kingdom to protest the government’s plans to establish a large center for asylum seekers nearby, according to The Daily Telegraph.
285 people voted in favor of Piddington’s “independence,” 26 voted against it, and one ballot was deemed invalid. Voter turnout was approximately 92%. The vote has no legal force and does not trigger any procedure for the village to leave the United Kingdom.
The reason for this unusual referendum was the British Home Office’s plans to convert part of the former military facility Bicester Garrison Site A, located between Piddington and Upper Arncott, into a temporary accommodation center for asylum seekers.
According to official documentation, the facility is designed to accommodate a maximum of 1,256 people, primarily single adult men. By comparison, the population of Piddington itself is about 350 people, so the potential number of residents at the center could be more than three times the village’s population.
The project involves the use of existing buildings at a former military base, the construction of modular housing, and the creation of medical and social infrastructure, security systems, parking lots, and recreational areas. The government’s application is currently under review.
Local authorities have also criticized the project’s planning process. The Cherwell District Council reported that the municipality was not consulted prior to the announcement of the government’s plans, and that the authorities only learned of the intention to open the center shortly before the public announcement in June. The council is demanding additional clarification from the government regarding security, the strain on infrastructure, policing, and social services.
The organizers of the vote emphasize that the idea of “independence” was primarily a way to attract the central government’s attention. Following the referendum, the village is even discussing the tongue-in-cheek name “Principality of Piddington” and other symbolic attributes of a separate state.
The British authorities, for their part, explain the creation of large specialized centers as an effort to gradually phase out the practice of housing asylum seekers in hotels. The Home Office states that former military facilities are intended to provide more manageable and less expensive housing for people awaiting decisions on their applications. The government expects to reduce costs by more than 1 billion pounds in this way.
However, the decision to establish a center at Bicester Garrison has not yet been finalized. The Home Office’s official website states that the use of new military sites is possible only after the necessary assessments, approvals, and planning procedures have been completed.
Original source: The Daily Telegraph, September 16, 2026.
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is preparing to revoke up to 200,000 business and tourist visas held by foreign nationals who applied for asylum after entering the country. If the decision is carried out on the stated scale, it will be the largest single mass revocation of visas in U.S. history.
The Associated Press reported this on August 24, citing documents from the U.S. State Department and two U.S. officials.
The measure applies to nonimmigrant visas in the B1 and B2 categories, which are intended primarily for business and tourist travel, visiting relatives, and receiving medical treatment, respectively.
Visas issued between 2016 and 2026 may be subject to this new measure if their holders applied for asylum after arriving in the United States or are continuing the asylum process.
State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott confirmed that the procedure is being prepared but did not specify its final scope.
“We are coordinating with the Department of Homeland Security to identify and revoke nonimmigrant visas held by foreign nationals who entered the United States as short-term visitors and subsequently applied for asylum in order to remain here permanently,” the State Department spokesperson said.
According to him, the process will be carried out gradually, so the number of revoked visas remains uncertain for now.
Thus, the figure of up to 200,000 visas is currently an AP estimate based on internal documents and information from U.S. officials, rather than an officially announced quota by the State Department.
The revocation of visas will not result in the immediate deportation of all affected foreign nationals from the U.S.
According to the AP, most people whose asylum applications are pending will be transferred to the appropriate immigration category; however, they will no longer be considered to be in the country as business or tourist visitors.
The administration’s main argument is that B1/B2 visas are issued to people who state that their trip is temporary and that they intend to leave the U.S. The authorities view the filing of an asylum application after entry as possible evidence that the original purpose of the trip may not have matched the stated one.
The large-scale revocation of visas is expected to face legal challenges. The AP notes that the decision could still be reviewed or challenged before it is fully implemented.
The new measure will be a continuation of the significant tightening of U.S. visa and immigration policies.
The State Department reported on August 10, 2026, that more than 175,000 visas for foreign nationals have already been revoked since Donald Trump’s return to the White House.
According to the department, the grounds for revocation included visa violations, criminal offenses, fraud, threats to national security, and other violations. Among the most common reasons cited by the State Department were assaults, driving under the influence, theft, and drug-related crimes.
However, the planned revocation of up to 200,000 visas is unique in that it targets a single specific category of visa holders and is part of a unified administrative campaign. This is precisely why the AP describes it as potentially the largest one-time mass revocation of visas in U.S. history.
In 2025–2026, the Trump administration also expanded social media screening of applicants, tightened requirements for several categories of foreign nationals, introduced or expanded visa restrictions for citizens of dozens of countries, and intensified scrutiny of visas that had already been issued.
The new measure applies to foreign nationals regardless of their specific nationality, provided they meet the specified criteria. Therefore, in theory, it could also affect Ukrainian citizens who entered the U.S. on valid B1/B2 visas and subsequently applied for asylum. At the same time, other mechanisms governing Ukrainians’ stay in
the U.S. are not, in and of themselves, the subject of the announced campaign.
In Germany, about one million people who have been rejected for asylum remain in the country, the Epoch Times reported. In most cases, these people are living in Germany illegally, waiting for appeals to be decided or facing deportation difficulties. The country’s authorities recognize the problem and are actively seeking ways to address it, but the deportation process is hampered by political, legal and humanitarian aspects.
The denial of asylum affects several categories of migrants. Among them are:
1) economic migrants – people who are seeking better living conditions but have no grounds for asylum by international standards,
2) non-status migrants – those who have no legal basis for staying in Germany, including tourists and people with expired visas,
3) refused status reviewers – migrants whose applications have been rejected but who continue to stay in the country by filing new appeals.
4) Refused deportees – people who have been denied asylum but are evading deportation, often using legal loopholes or for humanitarian reasons.
These are mainly citizens of Afghanistan, Turkey and Kosovo who are often denied asylum because they do not meet the criteria for refugee status. These countries are seen as safe, with low levels of violence or political persecution.
Also included in the refusals are people who have not proven to belong to vulnerable categories such as refugees from violence, persecution or war.
The issue is hotly debated in German society, and the authorities are taking steps to improve migration policy, including efforts to speed up deportation processes and reform the asylum system. However, political and humanitarian considerations continue to be major obstacles to an effective resolution.
In the Netherlands, the cost of shelter for Ukrainian refugees will increase from October, from the current €105 per month to €244, according to Minister for Asylum and Migration Mona Keizer.
“The increase in personal contributions will be used to cover the shelter’s operating costs, such as gas, water, and electricity,” Keizer explained. With this measure, she hopes to reduce the difference between asylum seekers and Ukrainian refugees.
According to RTL, a single Ukrainian currently pays €105 per month, but this amount will increase to €244 in October. Families with two minor children must pay a maximum of €488, depending on their situation.
