Priti Patel (Home Secretary) has said that Yarl’s Wood, the UK’s exclusive women-only immigrant unit, will be replaced by Yarl’s Wood.
Derwentside Immigration Removal Centre in County Durham will replace Bedfordshire and hold foreign national and immigration offenders.
The centre, which can hold up to 84 women and will be run by Mitie Care & Custody Ltd, is expected to be ‘fully operational by the end of the year’ and could create 200 jobs, the Home Office said.
Protestors were seen outside the site Saturday for the third time in recent months. The protestors called detention “inhumane” and stated that seeking sanctuary was not a crime.
Ms Patel made the following statement in a ministerial letter to Parliament, announcing her decision: “Detention plays an important, but limited role in keeping effective immigration control, and securing our border borders.
“It’s right that people with no rights to leave the UK should be removed, if they don’t want to do so.
On Saturday, protestors against the project gathered at the site to demonstrate. This was the third demonstration of the past few months. The protestors called detention “inhumane” and stated that “seeking refuge is not a crime.”
Derwentside, a County Durham immigration removal center will replace Bedfordshire. It will house both immigration offenders and foreign nationals awaiting deportation to the UK.
Priti Patel, the Home Secretary, made this statement in a ministerial letter to Parliament. She stated that detention played a crucial, though limited role, in keeping effective immigration control under control and protecting our borders.
Ms Patel added: ‘This new, smaller immigration removal centre will replace Yarl’s Wood as the only dedicated immigration removal centre for women.
“In order to preserve operational flexibility, we will maintain some limited detention capacities for women at Colnbrook and Yarl’s Wood.
“These changes will substantially reduce the overall immigration capacity for women.”
She claimed that the Government is ‘committed’ to the ‘proper protection and treatment’ of detained vulnerable persons.
Ms Patel said: “Safeguarding women’s welfare is the primary objective of this new facility. It builds upon the knowledge and experience gained at Yarl’s Wood.”
Signs warning the government that the campaigners were holding them accountable appeared outside County Durham’s site.
Coalition against Derwentside’s new County Durham removal centre warned Saturday to “Stop the Hostile Environment”
A record 40919 migrants crossed the Channel this month. This is more than the 3,879 that was set in September. Record-breaking 23,761 migrants crossed the Channel this year.
It comes amid chaos over the government’s immigration policy which forced Prime Minister Boris Johnson to order a Whitehall review into the Channel crossings.
Mr Johnson is said to be ‘exasperated’ by his Government’s failure to reduce the number of migrants making the journey in small boats.
After three boats filled with people arrived at the Dungeness shoreline, migrants huddle on Saturday.
These new arrivals increase the number of people who have reached the UK in this month’s total to 4,019, surpassing the September record of 3,879. Record-breaking 23761 people have arrived in the UK this year.
Stephen Barclay, an ex-Brexit Secretary, is now the Chancellor of Lancaster.
It will seek to find solutions to the crisis and make sure all departments – not only the Home Office – are contributing.
When he was interviewed by the 1922 Committee of Tory MPs, the PM answered questions about the topic.
Sir Iain Duncan Smith, a former Cabinet minister, is reported to have confronted Mr Johnson during the meeting. He said that he had challenged him and told the PM, “Migration was written in our manifesto. It was part of our DNA.” We won’t get forgiveness if they don’t.
He was reportedly met by backbench colleagues with an enthusiastic banging on the desks to greet his comments.