Legal News
UK Border Agency Detains Hundreds of Children Each Year (20 October 2011)
Date: 20/10/2011
The UK Border Agency has detained hundreds of children at ports and airports, according to figures released under the Freedom of Information Act. The statistics revealed that 697 children under 18 were detained between May and August at the Port of Dover and at airports across the UK, including Heathrow, Gatwick, and Stansted. The Children's Society, which was granted access to the data, has described its findings as horrific and accused the UK Border Agency of being “excessive”. The Home Office claimed that none of the children were detained for longer than 24 hours and that it was necessary to detain the children while immigration checks were being performed. A quarter of all detained children were found to be travelling alone.
The Children's Society has voiced its disappointment that children are still being detained both at the ports and at Cedars, the UK Border Agency's newly opened pre-departure accommodation for families, located near Gatwick Airport. In July 2010, the Government claimed that it would end the detention of children of failed asylum seekers by May 2011. Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, also announced that the Government would put an end to children being held at the Bedfordshire-based Yarl's Wood immigration detention centre, the main removal centre used for the holding of families facing deportation.
The UK Border Agency said that the message on holding families was clear and that they would “retain the ability to hold families who have arrived at the border without the right to enter the UK”.
Duncan Lewis’ immigration solicitors are able to defend the rights of clients facing deportation.