We should be deeply pained by the way we are with the stranger who lives in our midst, writes Alexandra Wright, senior rabbi at the Liberal Jewish Synagogue

Priti Patel’s proposed legislation to send asylum seekers overseas while their claims or appeals are pending is ruthless (Report, 28 June).

There are 41,700 asylum seekers or resettled persons in the UK. Many have been waiting for years for their claim to be dealt with by the Home Office. They live in poor and often squalid dispersal accommodation, on less than £40 per week. They cannot work. Poverty and uncertainty often lead to serious physical and mental health issues in asylum seekers and their children.

This post was originally published on Human rights | The Guardian.