As many as 1 in 4 people held in immigration detention have never had legal representation during their detention, according to research published today [Tuesday 15th March]by Bail for Immigration Detainees (BID).
BID, a charity that provides support for people held in immigration detention to apply for bail and appeal deportation orders, uncovered the scale of the problem in its latest Legal Advice Survey. The survey, carried out twice a year, speaks directly to people who are currently held in detention to ask about their experiences of finding legal advice on their immigration case.
Other findings include 20% of detainees having to wait a month or more to arrange an appointment at the free legal advice clinic in Immigration Removal Centres (IRC), and 78% of foreign nationals serving a prison sentence before being moved to an IRC having received no independent advice on their immigration case while in prison.
Commenting, BID’s Policy and Research Manager John Cox said:
“It’s truly shocking that a quarter of the people we surveyed have never had access to legal advice while in detention.
“These people are often extremely vulnerable. They have been taken away from their homes and families, and locked up without knowing when they will be released. Without access to legal advice, many are unaware of their rights, let alone what steps they might be able to take to challenge their detention.
“Cuts to legal aid funding have made it even harder for foreign nationals to have access to justice. Only 1 in 5 people we surveyed have been able to access legal aid to help them with their case. And even that support is often far too limited.
“The number of people entering detention rose yet again in 2015. It’s time for the Government to ensure that the people who they are needlessly – and often cruelly – detained at least have access to the legal advice they desperately need.”
