A legal challenge by the Tamil Information Centre (TIC) against two Authorizations issued in April 2001 under the Race Relations Act has benefited Tamils all over the world including British passport holders. The Race Relations Act outlaws discrimination on grounds of color, race, nationality or ethnic or national origin in public functions, such as law enforcement by police, immigration or Home Office officials. But it contains an exclusionary section (Section 19D), which permits the Home Minister to authorize discrimination on grounds of nationality or ethnic or national origin in carrying out immigration and nationality functions. The Secretary of State for the Home Department exercised his powers under this section in April 2001 and issued two Authorizations.
A legal challenge by the Tamil Information Centre (TIC) against two Authorizations issued in April 2001 under the Race Relations Act has benefited Tamils all over the world including British passport holders. The Race Relations Act outlaws discrimination on grounds of color, race, nationality or ethnic or national origin in public functions, such as law enforcement by police, immigration or Home Office officials. But it contains an exclusionary section (Section 19D), which permits the Home Minister to authorize discrimination on grounds of nationality or ethnic or national origin in carrying out immigration and nationality functions. The Secretary of State for the Home Department exercised his powers under this section in April 2001 and issued two Authorizations.
