Author: Adam Smith
New figures reveal more than half of the UK’s 45 police forces referred victims and witnesses of crimes to the Home Office.
One woman who phoned the police after being beaten by her partner was then arrested by officers due to her immigration statues. There are fears vulnerable victims of crimes will stop reporting crimes to the police due to fears of deportation, according to the BBC’s Victoria Derbyshire Show. A Home Office spokesman said: ‘Victims of crime must be treated first and foremost as victims.
When individuals are found to have no basis in the UK, we carefully consider the details of the case before taking an enforcement action.’ Pragna Patel from campaigning group Southall Black Sisters believes referring victims of crime for immigration enforcement conflicts with the government’s promise to protect all women from violence. She said: ‘Since 2014, we’ve seen a steady rise in cases where the police have arrested women or reported women to the Home Office as potential illegals rather than deal with their reports of violence and rape.’ Twenty-seven police forces said they did refer victims and witnesses of crimes to immigration officials, three forces, including Police Scotland, said they did not and the rest of the forces did not reply to the question. Several of the victims and witnesses have ended up at Yarls Wood Detention Centre where they remain awaiting deportation.
Source: http://metro.co.uk/2018/05/14/police-are-handing-rape-and-domestic-violence-victims-over-to-immigration-officials-7544091/
