Statewatch News Online: UK: Campaigners to put UK Border Agency before "court of public opinion"

UK
Campaigners to put UK Border Agency before "court of public opinion"
26.02.2013

At an event in London on Sunday 3 March, a mock court hearing will hear "testimony and evidence from asylum seekers who have directly experienced the regime of immigration detention, fast-track [asylum applications], the brutal side of deportation attempts, and the aftermath of the UK system." [1]

The UKBA was established in 2008 following a merger of three other government agencies and has been the subject of fierce criticism since its inception. A 2009 report highlighted concerns related to powers of detention; [2] in 2010 the Parliamentary Ombudsman examined the agency’s handling of applications and complaints; [3] and last year a widely-covered report by Medical Justice examined the immigration detention of torture survivors. [4]

A recent wave of negative news has seen the agency accused of failing to halt the practice of taking "reserves" to airports in case spare room becomes available on deportation flights, [5] as well as claims that "the health of hundreds of pregnant women and their babies are being put at risk" due to the policy of "dispersing" asylum seekers to accommodation across the country. [6]

A contract between UKBA and multinational security firm G4S, which gave the company responsibility for asylum seekers’ housing, has also recently been criticised as a "disaster." Two groups behind a report on the issue have called for "an inquiry into G4S’ contracts for housing, transport and initial accommodation in what it calls the ‘asylum markets’." [7]

Detention conditions also saw a series of protests erupt late last year in the Yarl’s Wood detention centre. Many of those perceived to be organisers of the protests were subsequently removed from the detention centre and placed in prisons across the country, a move accompanied by complaints of abuse. Subsequent deportation attempts were viewed as "political reprisals" by supporters. [8]

The protesting Yarl’s Wood detainees were supported by campaign group Movement for Justice, who have also organised the event in London. The use of a "mock trial" format bears similarities to other events held by migrants’ rights groups.

Last year the International Migrants’ Tribunal highlighted the effects of the policies enacted by states through the Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD).

The tribunal found that the GFMD was guilty of "pursuing or promoting measures violating the rights of migrants"; "remaining practically or absolutely silent to stop or stem such violations and thereby perpetuating them"; and "systematically and habitually failing to act to alleviate the plight of migrants." [9]

Similarly, in May last year Tribunal 12 examined accusations of "continual violations of human rights and the systematic mistreatment of refugees, migrants and asylum seekers" by European authorities. [10]