A pregnant mother with three young children endured what has been described as “callous treatment” at the hands of immigration officials who were attempting to deport the family, according to a recent report. The Independent Monitoring Boards (IMB) conducted an examination of the family pre-departure accommodation near Gatwick airport, which is part of an immigration removal site. The findings revealed that families with children had experienced unnecessary suffering at the facility, leading inspectors to recommend its closure.
Although the detention facility had not been used for families since 2020, families were detained at the airport facility four times in 2023, causing what was described as “evident suffering and distress for parents involved.” The IMB has called for the closure of the accommodation, managed by Serco Ltd, and urged the government to commit to not using such facilities to detain families.
One specific case highlighted in the report involves Family A, where a pregnant mother and her three children aged five, four, and two were taken to the Gatwick removal centre late at night on 18 April 2023. Despite the mother expressing concerns about self-harm and the safety of her children if removed from the UK, the Home Office attempted to deport them. The mother, who received a positive pregnancy test result while in detention, displayed signs of extreme stress and was uncooperative with escorts, leading to what was deemed as “callous treatment and unnecessary suffering”.
In another case (Family B), a couple with two children, aged 15 and 10, were detained in November 2023, with the eldest child having to interpret for officials. They were released the next day, with the monitoring board noting that the distress caused to the family seemed purposeless. Concerns were also raised about the impact of detention on the mental health of children in detention.
Family C’s case involved a mother and her young son, who were detained and subsequently released after two days. Likewise, in the final case, another mother and her two children were detained at Gatwick, only to be released back into the community two days later after a failed deportation attempt.
The Home Office has responded by stating their commitment to conducting all stages of the removal process with dignity and ensuring the safety and wellbeing of individuals. They have indicated their intention to carefully consider the findings of the report and continue efforts to improve immigration detention facilities.
The harrowing accounts detailed in the report shed light on the challenges faced by families in immigration detention and highlight the importance of treating individuals with compassion and respect throughout the process.