Asylum seekers convicted of a crime continue to be detained in
prison months after serving their sentence, the charity Bail for
Immigration Detainees has claimed.
Home Office statistics show that 130 asylum seekers are currently
being held in prison. Most are "dual-detainees" (either on remand,
convicted or sentenced for a criminal matter) or cannot be held in
removal centres for security reasons.
But BID says some of those in prison are then held in prison for
months after their sentence ends under immigration laws.
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The charity also claims that asylum seekers may be picked up on
suspicion of an offence and detained in prisons even after charges
have been dropped.
"Because of the lack of access to legal advice and representation
people often remain in prisons for many months with no access to
independent review of their continued detention by a court," said a
BID spokesperson.
Unlike those on criminal charges, there is no automatic opportunity
for a bail hearing for immigration detainees, she added.
- The deputy prime minister has given planning approval for an
accommodation centre at Bicester, Oxfordshire which will hold up to
750 asylum seekers.
