London, 10 April 2020 – Alison Thewliss, MP for Glasgow Central and chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Immigration Detention, has called on the Home Secretary to prioritise protection over immigration enforcement targets, and release all people still held in immigration detention in the UK, in light of COVID-19.
The call came after a case of COVID-19 was confirmed at Brook House, an immigration removal centre (IRC) near Gatwick Airport this week.[1] It is the second known case of the virus in immigration detention since the start of the crisis, after a female detainee tested positive at Yarl’s Wood IRC near Bedford on 22 March 2020.[2]
In a letter yesterday (9 April 2020) to Home Secretary Priti Patel MP, Ms Thewliss highlighted the unnecessary danger to which the Home Office is exposing immigration detainees by continuing to hold them during the crisis. IRCs are high-risk environments for clusters of COVID-19, with staff providing a conduit for infection to and from the community.
Ms Thewliss welcomed the government’s release of 4,000 prisoners last weekend, but questioned why immigration detainees, who are not serving any form of criminal sentence, are continuing to be held.
Noting that several prisoners have already died from COVID-19 in the UK, Ms Thewliss urged the Home Secretary to do all she can to avoid any similar deaths in detention, and called for the release of all immigration detainees with immediate effect.
Ms Thewliss first raised concerns about the Home Office’s response on immigration detention with the Home Secretary in a letter on 27 March 2020.
A full copy of the letter is available below and can be downloaded here. A copy of Ms Thewliss’ previous letter of 27 March 2020 is available here.
Alison Thewliss MP said:
“I am extremely concerned to learn that cases of COVID-19 have now been confirmed at two Immigration Removal Centres (IRCs) in the UK. IRCs are at increased risk of uncontrolled outbreaks and serve as a conduit for contagion with staff going between the centre and the community.
“Not only are many of those still detained already vulnerable, the conditions in IRCs are known to be harmful to people’s mental health and make it significantly more difficult to maintain social distancing and to engage with vital services, including healthcare.
“I wrote to the Home Secretary on 27 March, as Chair of the APPG on Immigration Detention, to highlight the group’s concerns with the Home Office’s response on immigration detention since the onset of the COVID-19 crisis. In it, we asked that the Home Office – amongst other things – ensure detainees with symptoms are able to self-isolate, and that appropriate social distancing measures are put in place. We also stressed that the best way to minimise the risk would be to allow all detainees to be released.
“Whilst some of these concerns have been responded to, the confirmation of a new coronavirus case at Brook House demonstrates the danger detainees are continuing to be put in. Now more than ever protection must be prioritised over immigration targets. The Home Office must release all immigration detainees immediately to protect the health and wellbeing of detainees and the general public.”
ENDS.
CONTACT:
Elspeth Macdonald – Secretariat, APPG on Immigration
e.macdonald@medicaljustice.org.uk
NOTES TO EDITORS:
- The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Immigration Detention comprises over 30 parliamentarians from across all main political parties who share concerns about the use of immigration detention in the UK. More information about the group, including its full membership list, is available at www.appgdetention.org.uk.
- The secretariat to the APPG on Immigration Detention is provided by the charity Medical Justice. More information about Medical Justice is available at www.medicaljustice.org.uk.
- A copy of Ms Thewliss’ letter to the Home Secretary on 9 April is available below and to download here.
- A copy of Ms Thewliss’ previous letter to the Home Secretary on 27 March is available here.
[1] https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/coronavirus-detention-immigration-removal-centre-brook-house-home-office-a9458206.html
[2] https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/coronavirus-yarls-wood-immigration-detention-removal-centre-home-office-a9417056.html
