(HARMONDSWORTH, UNITED KINGDOM) — Eighty asylum seekers detained at the Harmondsworth immigration removal centre have accused the UK government of degrading treatment under the “One In, One Out” policy, alleging arbitrary detention, denial of legal representation and inadequate medical care after Channel crossings.
The detainees compiled a formal document titled “Report on conditions and treatment at Harmondsworth immigration removal centre,” setting out claims of “severe psychological harm” and saying the environment has created “constant fear, despair, and uncertainty.”
Government response and official statements
A UK Home Office spokesperson rejected the thrust of the criticism on January 5, 2026, pointing instead to efforts to curb Channel crossings and the partnership with France. The spokesperson said:
“The number of small boat crossings is shameful and the British people deserve better. France remains a critical partner in securing our borders, and our joint work has already prevented over 21,000 crossing attempts so far this year. Thanks to our landmark deal, people crossing in small boats can now also be detained and removed.”
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has previously defended the returns policy in blunt terms:
“We have detained the first illegal migrants under our new deal before returning them to France. No gimmicks, just results. If you break the law to enter this country, you will face being sent back. When I say I will stop at nothing to secure our borders, I mean it.”
Alex Norris, the UK borders minister, linked the day’s allegations to new enforcement powers that also took effect on January 5, 2026, saying:
“We are implementing robust new laws with powerful offences to intercept, disrupt and dismantle these vile gangs faster than ever before and cut off their supply chains.”
Who the detainees are and where they are held
- The detainees — 80 people — are being held at Harmondsworth, a detention facility near Heathrow.
- According to the report, they are primarily from Sudan, Afghanistan, and Iran.
- They were detained after arriving by small boat across the Channel.
Core allegations in the detainees’ report
The document alleges a range of abuses and shortcomings, notably:
- Arbitrary detention and denial of legal representation.
- Inadequate medical care for both physical injuries and psychological trauma.
- Officials conducting Home Office interviews without allowing sufficient time for recovery after traumatic Channel journeys.
- Widespread mental health issues among detainees aged 17–30, including:
- Depression
- Insomnia
- Emotional breakdowns
- Multiple incidents of self-harm
- Reports of detainees being held in isolation or disciplinary units, contributing to feelings of being “dehumanised and invisible.”
- Separation from family and lack of contact with relatives since detention began, linked to increased stress and uncertainty.
The report describes the Harmondsworth environment as driving “severe psychological harm” and says the setting has created “constant fear, despair, and uncertainty.”
The “One In, One Out” scheme and its numbers
The policy is part of a UK–France returns treaty formally titled the “Agreement on the Prevention of Dangerous Journeys,” which entered into force on August 6, 2025.
- The pilot runs until June 2026.
- Under the pilot:
- The UK returns small-boat arrivals to France.
- The UK accepts an equal number of asylum seekers from France who can demonstrate genuine family links to the UK.
Key figures since the scheme began in August 2025:
| Metric | Number |
|---|---|
| Small-boat arrivals recorded in 2025 | 41,400+ |
| People returned to France under the scheme | 193 |
| People legally brought to the UK under the exchange | 195 |
| Crossing attempts prevented (government figure, so far this year) | 21,000+ |
The detainees’ report contrasts the limited exchange numbers with the much larger recorded arrivals in 2025, highlighting the human impact of detention even as the government emphasises removals and deterrence.
New enforcement powers and timing
The allegations surfaced on the same day that new powers under the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act (December 2025) came into force. Key aspects of those powers include:
- Authority to seize and search mobile phones and SIM cards of any individual arriving via small boat without the need for an arrest.
- Permission to conduct physical searches, including inside the mouth, to identify technology used by smugglers.
Alex Norris framed these powers as tools to “intercept, disrupt and dismantle these vile gangs faster than ever before and cut off their supply chains.” The detainees’ report, however, focuses on the treatment of people already detained rather than on smugglers’ networks.
Human rights challenge and political context
- The detainees’ allegations represent the first major human rights challenge to the Labour government’s flagship UK–France returns deal, according to the report’s summary.
- The summary contrasts the new scheme with the previous Rwanda plan, which it says was ruled unlawful, and notes that the UK–France agreement has the European Commission’s “green light.”
- The government presents the treaty as a deterrence-focused alternative and a pillar of current UK–EU border cooperation.
Comparative notes: U.S. response and references
- In the United States, the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) have not issued official statements on the specific allegations at Harmondsworth or on the UK–France pilot scheme.
- The report’s summary noted references to U.S. policy memos on asylum holds, specifically Policy Memorandum PM-602-0194, Jan 1, 2026, but said DHS and USCIS had not commented on the UK–France pilot.
Summary contrast: policy goals vs reported impacts
- For the government, the headline objective is removals and deterrence — returning small-boat arrivals to France and preventing irregular crossings.
- For the 80 detainees, the report foregrounds how detention is being carried out and what it is doing to them while they wait: mental health crises, alleged denial of legal support, and claims of degrading treatment.
The detainees’ document frames the UK–France scheme’s practical implementation through the lens of human impact, arguing that the processes designed to deter crossings are producing severe consequences for those detained.
Eighty detainees at Harmondsworth immigration removal centre have issued a report alleging human rights abuses, including arbitrary detention and psychological trauma. These claims challenge the UK government’s ‘One In, One Out’ returns treaty with France. While officials defend the policy as a necessary deterrent to curb Channel crossings, the report highlights a significant gap between government enforcement goals and the reported mental health crisis among detainees.
