The Odysseus Network has published a new report on the use of alternatives to immigration detention in 13 EU member states, including the UK. The report notes with concern that:
'The number of people in immigration detention in the UK rose from 250 people in 1993, to 2,260 in 2003 and 28,909 in 2012.'
It also finds that:
'UK authorities have a large margin of appreciation when deciding to place an individual in detention... the fact that significant numbers of people are detained and subsequently released on bail raises serious questions about why they were detained in the first place, and whether all alternatives were considered when the decision to detain was made.'
The report outlines the increasing obstacles detainees face in accessing legal services following the legal aid cuts. The authors call on states to implement alternatives to detention. They also recommend a number of safeguards which should be put in place where alternatives are used. For example, where asylum-seekers or migrants are required to report to the authorities, these requirements should be proportionate and not unnecessarily onerous.
BID provided the Odysseus Network with detailed information on the UK situation which informed their work. The project was co-funded by the European Union. The report can be downloaded below.
Downloads
Odysseus Network report: Alternatives to Immigration and Asylum Detention in the EU
