Stop Detention Scotland Joint Statement
We, the undersigned, form a public coalition to prevent the building of a new immigration detention centre near Paisley, Renfrewshire.
After the decision to close Dungavel, the Home Office announced the building of a new “rapid removal centre” near Glasgow Airport in Paisley. The new detention centre is proposed to have a “7 day turnaround”. This means that those detained in Scotland will likely be transferred to other UK removal centres, far from their families, friends, legal advisors and support networks, or simply removed via a London airport, possibly before they have exhausted their right to appeal. It will be much more difficult for those detained in Scotland to exercise their right to appeal and to properly challenge their deportation.
The proposal comes from Robert Goodwill, the Conservative Immigration Minister and has been strongly criticized by the Scottish Government. The Home Office has been forced to apologise for failing to consult the Scottish government, Renfrewshire Council, or local residents about this decision. But the proposal has not yet been withdrawn.
Immigration detention is unnecessary, expensive, and inhumane. There is a common misconception that detention centres are only used to detain and remove those who have failed to gain asylum. In reality, they are used to imprison those waiting for a decision on their asylum claim or those who still have a right to appeal. Every year thousands of people who, according to the Home Office’s own rules, should not be detained – survivors of torture, people with severe mental health problems, children and women more than 6 months pregnant – are detained. There is no place for immigration prison in a society that respects human rights.
The UK has one of the largest immigration prison estates in Europe, with over 30,000 migrants detained annually. Since 2007, there have been 26 deaths in UK immigration detention. There have been 2,293 attempted suicides in 10 years and numerous allegations of emotional, physical and sexual abuse. 75% of centres are run by private companies interested in their profit margins more than welfare or safety, costing taxpayers £164.4 million per year to run.
We look forward to the imminent closure of Dungavel. It needs no replacement. We call on the Scottish Government to use this opportunity to formulate a Home Affairs policy for Scotland that respects human rights and consigns detention to history.
Signed:
Stop Detention Scotland
Positive Action in Housing
Unity Centre
Movement for Justice
LGBT Unity
We Will Rise
Unity Sisters
RIC
Migrant Voices
People and Planet
Movement for Justice By Any Means Necessary
Global Justice Now
Black Lives Matter Scotland
Scot Pep
Reclaim Justice Network
We, the undersigned, form a public coalition to prevent the building of a new immigration detention centre near Paisley, Renfrewshire.
After the decision to close Dungavel, the Home Office announced the building of a new “rapid removal centre” near Glasgow Airport in Paisley. The new detention centre is proposed to have a “7 day turnaround”. This means that those detained in Scotland will likely be transferred to other UK removal centres, far from their families, friends, legal advisors and support networks, or simply removed via a London airport, possibly before they have exhausted their right to appeal. It will be much more difficult for those detained in Scotland to exercise their right to appeal and to properly challenge their deportation.
The proposal comes from Robert Goodwill, the Conservative Immigration Minister and has been strongly criticized by the Scottish Government. The Home Office has been forced to apologise for failing to consult the Scottish government, Renfrewshire Council, or local residents about this decision. But the proposal has not yet been withdrawn.
Immigration detention is unnecessary, expensive, and inhumane. There is a common misconception that detention centres are only used to detain and remove those who have failed to gain asylum. In reality, they are used to imprison those waiting for a decision on their asylum claim or those who still have a right to appeal. Every year thousands of people who, according to the Home Office’s own rules, should not be detained – survivors of torture, people with severe mental health problems, children and women more than 6 months pregnant – are detained. There is no place for immigration prison in a society that respects human rights.
The UK has one of the largest immigration prison estates in Europe, with over 30,000 migrants detained annually. Since 2007, there have been 26 deaths in UK immigration detention. There have been 2,293 attempted suicides in 10 years and numerous allegations of emotional, physical and sexual abuse. 75% of centres are run by private companies interested in their profit margins more than welfare or safety, costing taxpayers £164.4 million per year to run.
We look forward to the imminent closure of Dungavel. It needs no replacement. We call on the Scottish Government to use this opportunity to formulate a Home Affairs policy for Scotland that respects human rights and consigns detention to history.
Signed:
Stop Detention Scotland
Positive Action in Housing
Unity Centre
Movement for Justice
LGBT Unity
We Will Rise
Unity Sisters
RIC
Migrant Voices
People and Planet
Movement for Justice By Any Means Necessary
Global Justice Now
Black Lives Matter Scotland
Scot Pep
Reclaim Justice Network