London
Unaccompanied asylum seekers in the UK face various threats, including deportation to Rwanda, if they complain about living conditions in the country, according to a report published Thursday 23 March by Refugee Action.
A refugee advocacy group revealed in its report, “Rehabilitated Housing,” that asylum seekers disclosed conditions that were detrimental to their physical and mental health.
“People in the asylum shelter who complained were threatened with police or deportation to Rwanda, or were denied access to public spaces. In one case, the police warned people who staged a peaceful protest and told them to leave the accommodation if they were not happy.”
Regarding the housing situation of unaccompanied persons, the Refugee Movement noted that the problems caused by poor housing would be “much worse because of the government’s plans to detain tens of thousands of refugees indefinitely” under the new legislation.
The report also found that people were staying in hotels for longer periods and being held in “virtual detention” where their movements were monitored and limited.
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“Poor housing leads to a massive health impact that is sometimes life-threatening, as chronically ill people are hospitalized for (receiving) unhealthy food, and people with disabilities are left in accommodations that are difficult for them to access and leave,” he said.
Tim Nauer Hilton, executive director of the NGO, said the illegal immigration bill would exacerbate already dire conditions.
“The bill must be rescinded, the housing system reviewed, and local authorities and NGOs duly funded to operate an integrated housing, support and legal advisory service,” she added.
The group said the report was based on an analysis of surveys conducted on 100 people in Manchester, Birmingham and London from mid-2021 to January 2023.
Earlier this month, the UK government introduced the Illegal Immigration Bill, which aims to expel migrants who enter the country on small boats after detaining most of them for the first 28 days after entering the country without bail or judicial review.
* Aisha Sandoval Alaguna contributed to this note.
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