A pregnant mother with three children - aged five, four and two suffered “callous treatment" at the hands of immigration officials attempting to deport the family, a report has found.
The Independent Monitoring Boards (IMB) examined conditions at the family pre-departure accommodation near Gatwick airport, which is part of an immigration removal site. Having found families with children had been subjected to unnecessary suffering at the unit, inspectors said it should be shut.
The detention facility had not been used for families since 2020 but in 2023, families were kept at the airport facility four times. Inspectors said the experiences caused "evident suffering and distress for parents involved". The IMB has called for the accommodation, which is managed by Serco, to be closed down. They have also called for a commitment from government that the facilities are not used to detain families.
This story is from the October 12, 2024 edition of The Independent.
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This story is from the October 12, 2024 edition of The Independent.
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