Attorneys on behalf of Detention Motion and a girl held at Manston despatched an pressing pre-action letter to the Residence Workplace on Tuesday, the charity mentioned, representing the primary motion towards the Residence Secretary for “the illegal remedy of individuals held on the facility”.
Immigration minister Robert Jenrick beforehand confirmed the Authorities had obtained “preliminary contact for a judicial evaluate” over Manston, however couldn’t touch upon who was behind the problem for authorized causes.
He mentioned the transfer was “commonplace” because it involved a “extremely litigious space of coverage”.
The pre-action letter, despatched by Duncan Lewis solicitors, mentioned the girl – from a non-European nation – “was unlawfully detained by the Residence Secretary on the Manston facility in egregiously faulty situations”.
The grievance additionally contains “severe threats to the security of kids”, the charity mentioned.
We’ve taken this motion out of great concern for the welfare of 1000’s of individuals, together with kids, nonetheless being detained at Manston for durations far past authorized limits
Considerations raised by the girl and the charity concerning the web site close to Ramsgate embody “the routine prolongation of detention past statutory closing dates; failure to stick to important safeguarding measures for youngsters; girls and kids sleeping alongside grownup males to whom they’re unrelated; insufficient or non-existent entry to authorized recommendation for these detained; and publicity to infectious ailments resulting from overcrowding and poor sanitation”, the charity mentioned.
Its deputy director James Wilson mentioned: “We’ve taken this motion out of great concern for the welfare of 1000’s of individuals, together with kids, nonetheless being detained at Manston for durations far past authorized limits.
“We’re calling on the Residence Secretary to declare that anybody held at Manston for greater than 24 hours is being detained unlawfully.
Manston stays resourced and outfitted to course of migrants securely and we are going to present different lodging as quickly as doable
“We’re additionally asking that the Residence Secretary permit entry to the ability for organisations certified to offer assist in immigration detention settings.”
The Residence Workplace confirmed it had obtained the letter and can be responding sooner or later, including that it didn’t touch upon ongoing authorized proceedings.
A spokesman for the Authorities division mentioned: “Manston stays resourced and outfitted to course of migrants securely and we are going to present different lodging as quickly as doable.”
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