APPG inquiry into ‘quasi detention’
We are delighted to see that the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Immigration Detention has launched an inquiry into the UK Government’s use of large-scale institutional sites, such as former military barracks and a temporarily ‘de-designated’ Immigration Removal Centre (IRC), as asylum accommodation. They have described this practice as [...]
Our statement on the Home Office New Plan for Immigration
Asylum and detention We believe that the inhumane practice of detention should have no part in the asylum process (or indeed in a humane and just immigration system). We firmly believe that we should not lock up people because of their immigration status. We believe that this is a fundamentally [...]
Use of former army barracks
At our members' meeting last month, we heard from two of our members, Kent Refugee Help and Samphire, about the recent use of army barracks in Kent to accommodate people seeking asylum. Our members are really concerned at this increasing use of former army camps to accommodate people seeking asylum [...]
Proposed new detention centre
We were very disappointed, when we were alerted by one of our members recently, about a proposed new detention centre in the North East. The Northern Echo reported that Government plans to scrap a residential development in favour of creating an immigration detention centre on the site of a notorious facility [...]
New members
Over the last few months we have been having a series of conversations with organisations which are interested in our work and wanted to explore membership of our Forum. And we are delighted that Action Foundation, Ben and Jerry's UK, JCWI, and the Sudanese Lawyers and Legal Practitioners Association have [...]
The UK’s detention regime exported: STHFs on the French coast
Frances Timberlake UK advocacy officer, Refugee Rights Europe In recent months, the UK-France border has been flung back into the public view following a sudden increase in media images of people attempting the sea crossing to the UK in small boat – even though this crossing route is not [...]
Time Limit – Immigration Bill update
Yesterday in the House of Commons the time limit amendment was defeated by 64 votes (328 to 264). We knew that success looked unlikely, but the government majority was reduced, four Conservative MPs voted for the amendment, as did half of the DUP and all of the opposition parties. We [...]
Time Limit – Immigration Bill update
Last week, the House of Lords voted in favour of an amendment to introduce a time limit for immigration detention and to end indefinite detention for EU and Swiss nationals. The Bill returns to the House of Commons on Monday so we are keen to encourage MPs to show their support [...]