Editorial Bear

Immigration centre unrest contained
Wednesday November 29, 07:41 PM

Around 150 immigrants facing removal from Britain are to be released on bail as a result of a protest at the country's largest immigration detention centre.

The news emerged as officials said that unrest at the Harmondsworth Immigration Detention Centre near Heathrow Airport was "contained" after a day of protests from detainees.

Fires were lit inside and detainees gathered in a courtyard spelling out the words "SOS" and "Freedom" with what appeared to be sheets or clothing in a courtyard.

The protest broke out on the day a report was released raising concerns about poor relations between staff and detainees at the centre near Heathrow.

Chief Inspector of Prisons Anne Owers said her new report on Harmondsworth was the poorest she had yet issued on such a facility.

It was not meeting any of her major tests and more than 60% of detainees said they felt unsafe, the report said.

But Lin Homer, Director General of the Immigration Nationality Directorate (IND), described the unrest as a deliberate attempt to sabotage the removals process.

As the disturbances were being brought under control, she said that some detainees would be moved from Harmondsworth to other IND or prison facilities.

But around 150 other "immigration offenders" - failed asylum seekers or other illegal entrants due to be removed - would have to be be released to make room for them.

In a statement she said: "The situation at Harmondsworth remains contained. The perimeter remains secure, and no-one has escaped. There has been no risk to the public."

Now, is it just me, or is releasing 150 people who were about to be deported not exactly the smartest choice?

I mean, maybe it's just me, but if I was going to be deported, but somebody let me out and said: "D'ya mind coming back on this date so we can deport you?" I would be out of there like a shot and off to wherever it is that illegal immigrants go. I would NEVER go back.

It's ridiculous. This country has no controls over it's immigration at all. The only people who do get victimised and exploited are the legitimate immigrants, like my wife, who was forced to shell out £500 to live in England. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of illegal immigrants live here for free - some even claim benefits from the government!

It strikes me that if the government had deemed this 150 naughty enough to lock up in the first place, perhaps letting them go is not the safest or smartest option. It's just another example of political expediancy getting in the way of the public interest.