On September 8, 2025, the debate over asylum seekers and immigration policies reached a boiling point in two English counties, as local councils in Dudley and Devon confronted mounting public anxiety, political division, and the deeply personal stories behind the headlines. The events of the day, marked by peaceful protests, council discussions, and heartfelt testimonies, laid bare not only the challenges of managing asylum accommodation but also the broader social tensions simmering across the nation.
In Dudley, a group of protestors gathered outside Dudley Council House ahead of a full council meeting, voicing their opposition to what they described as illegal immigration and the continued use of hotels to house asylum seekers. The demonstration, while peaceful, was emblematic of a growing unease in parts of the community. According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, council leader Patrick Harley made a point of engaging directly with the protestors. “I went out there to see how they were, they were protesting in a very peaceful manner. I listened to the issues and their concerns and explained the council’s stance and we only had one hotel commandeered by Serco who handle immigration and asylum cases for the Home Office,” Harley said.
Harley’s approach was not simply to listen; he also sought to correct misconceptions and promised further dialogue. “I have got a meeting with four of them on Thursday so we can go through their concerns and dispel some of the myths around asylum seekers in Dudley,” he told the press. He was quick to emphasize that, contrary to rumors, other hotels that had attracted protest were actually being used to house homeless people from neighboring authorities. “My job is also to listen to some of their concerns – they may have information I am not privy to,” Harley added.
The numbers involved are not insignificant. Dudley currently accommodates around 500 asylum seekers, either in hotel rooms or in houses in multiple occupation (HMOs). Only HMOs with five or more residents are required to register with local authorities, and in Dudley, Serco holds the license for 32 such properties. Serco, a British-based multinational company, has managed asylum seeker housing in the UK since 2012 and currently holds a multi-billion pound contract to house approximately 30,000 asylum seekers across the north west, midlands, and east of England.
Serco’s role, and the move from hotels to HMOs, has prompted concern from local officials. Harley warned that as hotels close, the shift to HMOs could present new challenges. “That will be the next big issue to take hold across the country as they start to close down hotels and move them into HMOs. It worries me greatly because you can see there is a hotel and what they are up to in there. It worries me that HMOs are harder to keep control of when they are not registered,” he said. Harley called for tighter planning guidelines and, if necessary, new policies to ensure proper oversight, suggesting that government intervention might be required if local solutions proved insufficient.
Serco, for its part, defended its record. “We have provided housing and support for asylum seekers in the community in the UK since 2012 ensuring safety and respect to some of the most vulnerable people in society whilst they await news on their immigration status. We manage an extensive property portfolio, reducing the cost to government by integrating hundreds of landlords into one property portfolio. We have invested heavily to improve the quality standards of the properties, ensuring that asylum seekers in our care are comfortable and have access to the services they need,” a spokesperson said.
While Dudley’s protest was peaceful, elsewhere in the country, the impact of anti-asylum sentiment has been more troubling. In Devon, the county’s first substantive full council meeting since the May elections also grappled with the fallout from asylum hotel protests and the wider social tensions these have laid bare. According to a local columnist writing for DonegalLive.ie, “The protests are another matter, and it saddens me it has come to this. In Exeter we have examples of women and children, tainted by trauma, frightened anxious and confused, shouted at by strangers, their bus windows and doors banged when they try to travel. It can’t be right, it’s so un-British.”
The Devon council meeting was notable for the emotional testimony it featured. A foster carer shared the story of two young brothers seeking safety, with the elder holding his sibling’s hand as they entered a new world. The presentation underscored the vulnerability of those caught up in the asylum process and the importance of compassion. “One can only imagine their sense of fear and trepidation. I would ask people who wish to demonstrate be mindful of those you may affect. We call them refugees or asylum seekers, but they are people too. Mostly innocents seeking safe haven in a strange land,” the columnist wrote.
The council’s approach to the visible symbols of protest, such as the painting of St George’s Cross flags, was described as low-key. Intervention would occur only where there were safety issues or clear provocation and intimidation. Otherwise, the council preferred a relaxed stance, hoping to avoid inflaming tensions further.
Underlying the heated debates over asylum seekers are deeper currents of public frustration. The cost-of-living crisis, deteriorating public services, and a perceived failure of politicians to address these problems have contributed to a sense of national malaise. “The country is not in a great state. The cost-of-living crisis and the deterioration of many public services, including the NHS and dentists, is fuelling those sentiments. The failure of politicians to address these issues, combined with ever-growing inequality, leaves us with a nation ill at ease with itself. Our responsibility is to find solutions. To show a vision and tell a story that brings the country with it,” the Devon columnist reflected.
While acknowledging that immigration and Brexit have created real challenges, the columnist cautioned against scapegoating asylum seekers. “Of course there are issues around immigration, many of them created by Brexit, but to blame all our country’s ills on a tiny minority of desperate people is not the answer. It’s not true and only serves to divide us,” they wrote. The message was clear: tolerance and unity are essential, and the country’s proud traditions of compassion and hospitality must not be sacrificed to fear or misinformation.
As the debates continue in council chambers and on the streets, the fate of asylum seekers in England remains entwined with broader questions about identity, governance, and the social contract. Whether through direct engagement with protestors, as in Dudley, or through calls for empathy and caution, as in Devon, local leaders are being forced to confront not just the logistics of asylum accommodation, but the values that will define their communities in the years ahead.
For many, the events of September 8 served as a stark reminder that behind every policy debate are real people—some frightened, some angry, all seeking answers. The path forward will require not only practical solutions, but a renewed commitment to understanding and, above all, to one another.
