Medical Justice demands release of all immigration detainees to prevent an outbreak of COVID-19 inside detention
Coronavirus: call to release UK immigration centre detainees / The Guardian / 14th March 2020
In light of the emerging COVID-19 situation Medical Justice is concerned for its vulnerable clients. Immigration detention can exacerbate existing medical conditions and our volunteer doctors see concerning levels of medical mistreatment in immigration removal centres.
This is particularly germane as immigration detention is not part of any criminal sentence ; immigration detainees are held purely for the administrative convenience of the Home Office who have the power to release all detainees immediately to prevent an outbreak of COVID-19 inside detention.
By continuing to hold immigration detainees in custody, the Home Office is risking public health, including that of detainees and immigration removal centre staff, for its own administrative convenience – this is unconscionable.
