Campaign Against UK’s Asylum Seeker Deportation Flights to France

Campaigners have intensified their efforts against the UK government's controversial "one in, one out" deportation scheme, which forcibly returns asylum seekers to France. This policy allows one asylum seeker to enter the UK legally in exchange for another being deported. Recently, 28 refugee and human rights NGOs from both the UK and France sent letters to four airlines—Air France, Titan Airways, AlbaStar Airlines, and Corendon Airlines—urging them to cease their involvement in these deportation flights. The NGOs describe the airlines' actions as "shameful" and accuse them of complicity in "cruel and forced deportations," including those of individuals who are victims of torture, trafficking, and modern slavery.

The Guardian

Reports indicate that dozens of asylum seekers were forcibly removed to France despite warnings regarding their safety from traffickers. Detainees have expressed severe distress, with some engaging in hunger strikes to protest their removal. Eyewitness accounts reveal that individuals in detention are experiencing significant psychological distress, with one Syrian man describing the facility as a prison and others reporting feelings of hopelessness and suicidal thoughts. Additionally, concerns have been raised about the medical fitness of deportees, as one individual reported being in severe pain and needing urgent surgery, yet was deemed fit to fly by a detention center doctor.

The Guardian

The deportation on Thursday coincided with a high court legal challenge initiated by 16 asylum seekers against the one-in, one-out policy. This challenge seeks to overturn new guidance that limits asylum seekers' ability to have their trafficking claims reconsidered. Some plaintiffs are also questioning whether France is fulfilling its obligations under international treaties designed to protect trafficking victims. Griff Ferris, a spokesperson for the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants, criticized the deportation scheme as "sick and dehumanising," emphasizing the need for dignity and respect for individuals seeking safety from war and persecution.

The Guardian

Since the inception of the one-in, one-out scheme in September, only 305 individuals have been deported to France, while 367 have been transferred to the UK. The scheme has returned less than 2% of asylum seekers arriving in the UK via small boats. The relatively low number of crossings this year, totaling 1,528, is attributed to adverse weather conditions.

The Guardian

The Home Office has been approached for comments regarding the ongoing deportations and the criticisms levied against the airlines. Previous deportation flights have faced operational complications, leading to cancellations, and protests against the flights have resulted in heavy police presence, including the use of riot officers and tear gas.

The Guardian

• “This deportation scheme is a sick and dehumanising way to treat people who came here to seek safety from war and persecution. These are people with hopes, dreams and loved ones, who deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. We call on these airlines to cease their complicity in these cruel, inhumane and racist deportations.” — Griff Ferris, Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants

The Guardian

• “This is a prison, not a detention centre. We are locked up but we have done nothing wrong. The Home Office tell us we are criminals because we arrived here in a small boat but we are not. People are in such a bad state they are shouting and hitting themselves against the walls and doors.” — Anonymous Syrian detainee

The Guardian

The ongoing situation highlights the contentious nature of the UK's asylum policies and the growing opposition from human rights advocates.

The Guardian