Alison Thewliss MP, chair of the APPG on Immigration Detention, has written to the Home Secretary Priti Patel today, raising urgent concerns highlighted by her department’s planned removal charter flight to Jamaica this week.

In particular the letter calls on Ms Patel to:

• Halt all removal flights (both charter and commercial) pending the publication of the Windrush Lesson Learned Review.
• Take action to ensure all immigration detainee have full access to legal advice/representation whilst held in IRCs. Importantly this includes access by mobile phone.

Ms Thewliss has also invited Ms Patel to meet with the group at her earliest convenience to discuss these and other issues relating to detention.

Read the full letter below. It is also available to download here.