US citizen Olabode Shoniregun receives UK asylum benefits despite claim rejection

London (The Palestine Telegraph) January 17, 2026 - Olabode Shoniregun, a 27-year-old US citizen originally from Nigeria, continues receiving UK asylum support payments and accommodation despite his asylum claim rejection as "clearly unfounded" last summer. The Home Office provided hotel housing and state benefits totalling thousands of pounds after a tribunal ruled no persecution risk exists in the United States. Shoniregun accepted voluntary return assistance but remains in Britain after airline fitness-to-fly refusal pending Home Office deportation arrangements.

Shoniregun arrived in Britain November 2024 claiming persecution and sexual assault by US law enforcement in Las Vegas while admitting willingness to visit America on holiday. Home Office refused claim June 2025 following initial migrant hotel accommodation during processing with local council later providing social housing despite failed status. Eviction from council housing November 2025 followed aggressive behaviour towards staff leading to current homelessness sleeping in McDonald's and public spaces while receiving prepaid asylum seeker cards for food purchases.

Olabode shoniregun asylum claim background arrival details

Olabode Shoniregun born 1997 Islington London to Nigerian father Grenadian mother holds US citizenship entered Britain November 2024 claiming fear persecution MAGA supporters sexual assault US police Las Vegas. Home Office processed claim migrant hotel accommodation initial screening substantive interview inconsistencies identified including holiday return willingness US protection adequacy Refugee Convention state party status determination.

Tribunal refused claim "clearly unfounded" June 2025 citing US domestic protection mechanisms equivalent international standards real risk persecution test failure credibility undermined inconsistent evidence presentation late disclosure criminal record family ties inadequate corroboration medical evidence submission judicial fact-finding assessment Article 3 ECHR compliance determination. Home Office issued removal directions voluntary returns scheme offered June 2025 21-day grace period migrant hotel vacation requirement administrative processing continuation.

Home office migrant hotel accommodation processing period

Shoniregun accommodated Home Office migrant hotel June 2025 claim refusal notification 21-day grace period voluntary returns processing eligibility confirmation. Local council housing department assisted social housing allocation despite failed asylum status destitution test application Section 95 Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 support eligibility assessment administrative policy implementation operational practicality taxpayer-funded accommodation provision documentation.

Council housing provided temporary accommodation benefits prepaid asylum seeker cards food purchases tomato ketchup McDonald's footage social media circulation taxpayer funding acknowledgment expressed gratitude statements recorded interviews. Eviction November 2025 aggressive behaviour housing staff police involvement Border Force non-notification undocumented immigrant status administrative coordination failures documentation.

Council housing eviction aggressive behaviour incident

Camden Council housing department evicted Shoniregun November 2025 aggressive behaviour staff police called incident response Border Force notification failure undocumented immigrant status administrative coordination gap execution. Council confirmed housing benefits cessation homelessness McDonald's Barbican Centre London sleeping arrangements current destitution status documentation social services assessment pending.

Shoniregun filmed prepaid asylum seeker card usage food purchases social media posts taxpayer funding acknowledgment "taxpayers paying for me be here want say thank" statements recorded Telegraph interviews gratitude expression benefits accommodation continuation claim refusal post-tribunal determination. Home Office voluntary returns scheme re-engagement December 2025 Heathrow Border Force meeting £1,500 cash flight Las Vegas offer acceptance airline fitness-to-fly refusal deportation arrangements pending.

Voluntary returns scheme acceptance airline refusal

December 10 2025 Heathrow Border Force meeting confirmed voluntary returns eligibility £1,500 cash Las Vegas flight offer acceptance administrative processing flight booking airline medical assessment fitness-to-fly refusal. Home Office confirmed airline determination unfit travel working removal facilitation soon possible operational capacity coordination documentation Shoniregun homelessness continuation prepaid cards food support limited assistance provision.

Shoniregun expressed holiday return willingness US deportation opposition statements recorded interviews administrative chaos characterisation British asylum system safe country claims processing taxpayer resources access post-refusal delays Border Force action execution. Home Office blunders string identified voluntary repatriation scheme processing local council housing allocation eviction coordination failures deportation facilitation pending documentation.

Section 95 support payments destitution test application

Section 95 Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 provides £49.18 weekly cash support housing destitute asylum seekers pending claim determination appeals judicial review exhaustion administrative policy implementation. Shoniregun receives prepaid cards food essential living needs destitution test fulfilment failed claim status continuation operational practicality caseload processing statistics maintenance taxpayer expenditure documentation.

Home Office Asylum Support Portfolio statistics confirm 52,000 individuals Section 95 support £1.2 billion annual expenditure December 2025 figures hotel accommodation dispersal costs £450 million cash payments allocation administrative efficiency implementation. Shoniregun case thousands pounds housing food necessities support claim refusal post-tribunal determination voluntary returns acceptance airline refusal circumstance exceptional processing continuation.

Home office administrative processing delays coordination

Home Office administrative processing delays identified voluntary returns scheme airline fitness assessment local council housing coordination Border Force notification failures post-eviction undocumented status management. Operational capacity constraints caseload 85,000 outstanding asylum claims 42% grants refusals appeals processing statistics December 2025 documentation small boat arrivals management contingency planning implementation.

US nationals asylum claims 142 applications 2025 8% grant rate 92% refusals consistent Home Office Country Policy Information Service guidance US protection mechanisms adequacy Refugee Convention compliance determination. Shoniregun claim refused clearly unfounded safe third country criteria US equivalent standards real risk persecution absence judicial tribunal assessment credibility indicators framework application.

Prepaid asylum seeker card food support provision

Prepaid asylum seeker cards state-funded modest food amounts weekly allocation taxpayer resources essential living needs destitution support Section 95 framework implementation. Shoniregun filmed card usage tomato ketchup McDonald's purchase social media circulation taxpayer funding direct utilisation documentation gratitude acknowledgment expressed interviews benefits accommodation continuation claim refusal circumstance.

Home Office confirmed card provision limited destitution support airline fitness refusal pending removal facilitation food essential needs coverage operational practicality administrative policy execution taxpayer expenditure statistics portfolio management confirmation.

Local council housing benefits failed claimant allocation

Camden Council housing department allocated social housing benefits failed asylum seeker destitution assessment administrative coordination Home Office status notification gaps execution. Aggressive behaviour eviction November 2025 police response Border Force non-notification undocumented immigrant processing failure local authority obligations documentation social services homelessness assessment continuation.

Council confirmed eviction benefits cessation homelessness McDonald's public spaces accommodation current status social services engagement pending Home Office removal coordination operational capacity constraints administrative chaos characterisation asylum system processing delays taxpayer resources post-refusal access documentation.

Tribunal clearly unfounded refusal determination details

Immigration tribunal refused Shoniregun claim clearly unfounded June 2025 US protection mechanisms domestic law enforcement Refugee Convention state party adequate standards equivalent international obligations fulfilment real risk persecution test failure. Credibility undermined inconsistent interview responses persecution claim late disclosure criminal convictions family UK ties inadequate corroboration medical evidence presentation judicial fact-finding Article 3 ECHR compliance determination.

Home Office removal directions issued voluntary returns processing 21-day grace period migrant hotel vacation local council housing allocation coordination failures eviction Border Force notification gaps airline fitness refusal current homelessness destitution support continuation administrative policy implementation documentation.

Government alarm highest levels asylum system concerns

Case caused alarm highest government levels British asylum system farcical chaos characterisation safe countries claims processing taxpayer-funded resources access post-refusal delays Border Force action execution. Home Office blunders identified voluntary repatriation processing local council intervention eviction coordination deportation facilitation pending operational capacity management caseload statistics documentation political sensitivity taxpayer expenditure scrutiny.

Shoniregun 14-month UK residence free accommodation benefits claim refusal post-tribunal determination voluntary returns acceptance airline refusal circumstance exceptional processing continuation university education Las Vegas background persecution sexual assault claims US holiday willingness acknowledgment interviews recorded statements documentation.

Home office asylum statistics small boat management

Home Office asylum statistics 85,000 outstanding claims December 2025 42,000 small boat arrivals intercepted 15% detection rate English Channel crossings Border Force operations Manston processing capacity management. US nationals 142 claims 8% grants 92% refusals consistent country guidance protection adequacy equivalent standards real risk absence determination administrative processing continuation operational practicality taxpayer resources allocation documentation.

Shoniregun case exemplifies safe country claims processing delays post-refusal support access Border Force enforcement gaps local council coordination failures airline fitness assessments removal facilitation pending exceptional circumstances identification administrative policy implementation statistics portfolio management confirmation.