In 2022, nearly 80% of individuals held in UK immigration detention centres were released into the community instead of being deported, the annual report by Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) on the immigration detention estate, has revealed.
Despite the intended purpose of preparing individuals for deportation, the majority were released, The Guardian reported.
The Home Office is expected to detain individuals only if there is a realistic chance of timely removal, yet many are released due to successful legal challenges or health-related assessments.
According to a government summary of immigration data, comparisons with data from 2015 to 2019 show a notable increase in releases in 2022, with only 22% of detainees deported, down from the previous average of 44%.
The report also highlighted an increase in the duration of detention compared to the previous year, noting instances where individuals were held for prolonged periods, including one person detained for over three years and five others held for 180 days.
According to Home Office data, the cost of immigration detention stands at £112.85 per person per night.
The government has committed to expanding the UK’s capacity for immigration detention as part of its preparation for implementing the controversial policy of relocating individuals to Rwanda.
Concerns outlined in the report extend to the treatment of vulnerable detainees, particularly focusing on seven individuals who were scheduled for removal to Rwanda on June 14 last year.
However, the intervention from the European Court of Human Rights led to the cancellation of this plan at the eleventh hour.
The report also identified inadequacies in managing these individuals, citing compromises to their safety and rights to effective legal support. One individual amongst the seven experienced a panic attack before boarding, but was still considered fit to fly.
Additionally, two of the seven people had care plans designed for vulnerable individuals, and three were subjected to the use of force.
The IMB noted the evident distress among these individuals as they were taken to the plane intended for Rwanda.
Concerns were also raised about the treatment of detainees following a power outage at Heathrow immigration removal centre, which stands as the largest facility of its kind in Europe, in November last year.
Subsequent to the power loss, 506 men were relocated to five distinct detention centres. Among them, certain individuals were detained aboard coaches for a duration of 18 and a half hours, while others were separated from crucial prescription medications.
The IMB report highlighted that the mechanisms designed to safeguard vulnerable detainees, referred to as rule 34 and rule 35, were not functioning adequately.
At Brook House and Tinsley House immigration removal centers, 60% and 64% respectively of individuals evaluated was unsuitable for detention due to vulnerabilities but were still detained.
Instances also occurred where restraint was employed to handle individuals at risk of self-harm or suicide.
Elisabeth Davies, the national chair of the IMB, said, “This report evidences another challenging year in immigration detention and highlights the need, now more than ever, for local IMBs to be the eyes and the ears of the general public in places of detention.”
A spokesperson from the Home Office said the welfare and safety of individuals under their care is paramount, and they are dedicated to conducting detention and removal procedures with utmost dignity and consideration.
“We work to ensure individuals are detained for as short as time as possible while we pursue their removal from the UK back to their home country or a safe third country.”
The spokesperson also added that robust policies and protocols are established to protect vulnerable individuals, and they are committed in enhancing these measures wherever possible.
