Anti-racism campaigners in Leeds staged a city centre demonstration against the coalition government’s Immigration Bill at the weekend.

The Immigration Bill will involve workers in the public sector in seeking out people in Britain who are not British and who may be in the country illegally.

Public service workers such as receptionists in doctor’s surgeries and health centres or hospitals, social housing and benefits office workers and many others who work with the public will be instructed to establish a person’s nationality if they seek help.

Campaigners say the Bill’s regulations mean public service workers will have to ask for proof of identity and nationality before providing services such as treatment for illness — effectively making public service workers part of a state apparatus for hunting down illegal immigrants.

Evidence is mounting that some public service workers will refuse to implement some of the Bill’s provisions.

In Leeds a number of campaign groups, headed by the Leeds No Borders organisation, have joined forces to form a Coalition Against the Immigration Bill.

They organised Saturday’s demonstration against the Bill.

Emily Jennings of Leeds No Borders said: “We know of public sector workers including doctors and nurses who say they will refuse to implement the regulations.”

Leeds No Borders spearheads a campaign against government persecution of asylum seekers and stages regular demonstrations at the Home Office’s UK Border Agency regional headquarters in Kirkstall Road in Leeds.

Hundreds of asylum seekers in West Yorkshire are forced to report weekly to the centre.