Asylum Seeker From the US Living in the UK Handed Thousands of Pounds in Benefits — The Reason Is Disturbing

Olabode Shoniregun arrived in Britain from Las Vegas in October 2024 using a US passport. He said he was seeking asylum because he believed he was being persecuted in the United States. After arriving, he shared parts of his story on social media, where he spoke openly about his situation and the support he was receiving.

He told authorities that he had faced discrimination in the US because he is Black, Jewish, and a Mormon. He also claimed that both employers and government authorities had treated him unfairly. On that basis, he applied for asylum in the UK. At first, he was placed in migrant accommodation, including a hotel in North London, while his claim was being considered.

Last summer, his asylum application was rejected. Despite this decision, he was not immediately removed from the country. Instead, he continued to stay in the UK and was later allowed to receive financial support. Reports say he was given accommodation and around £400 a month to cover food and basic living costs.

Shoniregun has said that one of the reasons he chose the UK was because he was born there. He was born at Whittington Hospital in Islington and felt this gave him a strong personal connection to the country. He explained that he hoped to restart his life in Britain, find housing, and get work that would allow him to support himself.

Speaking about the benefits he received, he said he was not surprised by the support. In his view, being born in the UK meant he should receive help. He also said that £400 a month was not a large amount and felt he deserved even more. According to him, the money was used to cover everyday living costs, including paying for his mobile phone service.

In an interview, he also said he was afraid to return to the US. He claimed he was seeking what he described as humanitarian protection, saying that going back would put him in danger. He alleged that he had been sexually assaulted by law enforcement officers in the US and said he felt constantly threatened by the authorities there.

After being told that his asylum claim had been refused, he received a letter from the Home Office stating that he must leave the UK and that he did not have the right to appeal the decision. However, shortly after this, he said he was offered housing and financial support through Islington Council and support from a church in Canonbury.

He told reporters that the money he received, around £400 a month, came from the council and from contacts connected to the local church. He said this support helped him survive while he tried to figure out his next steps.

Islington Council has responded by saying it does not provide financial support or social housing to people who do not have legal immigration status, except where this is allowed under government rules. The council said it does, however, offer advice and works with partner organisations to help people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness get appropriate support.

The Home Office also issued a statement, saying the airline had deemed Shoniregun unfit to fly at the time. Officials said they are working to remove him from the UK as soon as possible. They added that removals of people with no legal right to stay in the country have increased significantly under the current government, with tens of thousands of people returned in recent months.

The case has raised questions about how asylum decisions are enforced, how support is provided after claims are refused, and how different public bodies handle people who remain in the UK without permission.