Migrant rights networking event

Hosted by Right to Remain

Cardiff, 5 June 2015

On the 5th of June representatives from Swansea City of Sanctuary and Cardiff City of Sanctuary attended a training day focusing on detention. In light of the recent election, the prospect of gaining a 28 day limit on detention is greatly diminished. However, it was clear throughout the day that this is an aim that those who work with and support asylum seekers are keen to get back on the political agenda and to make strides towards challenging indefinite detention.

Throughout the course of the day, activities were undertaken to consider how and who must be brought together to work to ensure that the massive detrimental impacts on both the individuals detained and their friends and family, face a time limit, and eventual end.  Additionally to the individual impact that results from indefinite detention, a cross-party inquiry highlighted the structural and economic issues surrounding this practice:

‘We believe the problems that beset our immigration detention estate occur quite simply because we detain far too many people unnecessarily and for far too long. The current system is expensive, ineffective and unjust.’ The Report of the Inquiry into the Use of Immigration Detention in the United Kingdom: A Joint Inquiry by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Refugees & the All Party Parliamentary Group on Migration.

https://detentioninquiry.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/immigration-detention-inquiry-report.pdf

Many thanks to Right to Remain for hosting the event, to Seeds for Change for facilitating a work shop, and to all those in attendance who shared ideas and best practice advice!