Brexit could leave thousands without basic rights in U.K. this week

London — Thousands of vulnerable EU citizens in the U.K. could lose their basic rights to live and work here if they fail to apply for a special residency status by Thursday morning. The elderly and children under state care are among the people advocates fear may have difficulty applying for the program, which was necessitated by Britain's "Brexit" from the European Union. 

With the U.K. now firmly out of the EU, European citizens must apply for the special status to continue legally living and working in Britain, regardless of how long they've been in the country. While the application process, which can be done online or through a cellphone app, has been straightforward for some, it's been nightmarish for others.