January 2012

January 30, 2012

Enforced removal contracts: the abusive end-point of a broken immigration system

NCADC welcomes today’s report from the Home Affairs Select Committee, which raises concerns that the potentially lethal ‘head-down’ restraint technique is used during enforced removals, that racist language is used by escort staff, that there are too many escorts used in operations, and that risk assessments focus on the risk to escort staff rather the individual being removed.

We agree with its recommendations of better recording of medical conditions, an independent monitoring procedure, the need for urgent guidance to be issued to escort staff about restraint methods and research into appropriate restrain on aircraft, and the need to abolish the ‘reserve’ system during removals. Continue reading “Enforced removal contracts: the abusive end-point of a broken immigration system”

January 21, 2012

BID: unlawful detention cases

A number of cases of former BID clients, which had been referred for unlawful detention claims in the Administrative Court reached judgment. In all three cases summarised here, their detention was ruled unlawful.

In October 2011, the High Court found that the detention of Mounir Raki, a client of BID’s, for over four years was ‘self-evidently unreasonable’. BID referred Mounir to Leigh Day & Co Solicitors, who represented him in this case. The Judge found that there was medical evidence that Mounir’s mental health was deteriorating because of his detention and he was seriously self-harming. The case was covered in the Guardian. Continue reading “BID: unlawful detention cases”

January 18, 2012

Landing in Dover – Office of Children’s Commissioner

Executive summary
0.1 This report follows on from the Children’s Commissioner’s earlier report Landing in Kent.3 It focuses on immigration procedures to which unaccompanied children arriving in Kent are subject between their first encounter with the authorities and the time they are placed in the care of Kent County Council children’s social care services.

0.2 Unaccompanied children are held under detention powers on, and immediately after, their arrival. Government policy is that unaccompanied children should only be detained in the most exceptional circumstances and only while arrangements for their care and safety are made. This policy is in line with the standard set by Article 37(b) of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) which requires that children should only be detained as a measure of last resort and for the shortest appropriate period of time. Continue reading “Landing in Dover – Office of Children’s Commissioner”

January 7, 2012

Child asylum seekers win compensation for 13-month detention

The Ay family, Kurdish refugees from Turkey, win six-figure payout from the Home Office eight years after childhood ordeal

Four children who were incarcerated in detention centres for 13 months – the longest time children have ever been locked up in the UK – have won a six-figure compensation payout from the Home Office more than eight years after their release. Continue reading “Child asylum seekers win compensation for 13-month detention”