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Asylum Seekers. Facts and figures on the current debate. Asylum seekers- Who are they?. Someone who leaves their own country in fear of their personal safety. Circumstances are often for Political reasons, sexual orientation or because of war.
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Asylum Seekers Facts and figures on the current debate
Asylum seekers- Who are they? • Someone who leaves their own country in fear of their personal safety. • Circumstances are often for Political reasons, sexual orientation or because of war. • European countries have increased border control measures in an attempt to prevent migrants and asylum seekers from reaching Europe. • This forces people to return to countries where there is a risk of human rights abuses, including torture and arbitrary detention.
Amnesty International’s View. Amnesty International is campaigning to ensure that: -People are treated with dignity at the boarders, and their rights respected including the right to claim asylum. -The right to liberty of migrants and asylum seekers is always respected. -Immigration detention must only be a measure of last resort and children must no longer be detained for the purpose of migration control. -People on the move no longer suffer abuse because of their migration status.
Syria-Asylum Seekers • Human rights abuses by both opposition and government forces in Syria are spiralling. • There is unsubstantiated evidence that the government has used chemical weapons against the opposition. This is illegal under international law. • Over 70,000 people have died since February 2011. • Thousands of Syrians have been detained or arrested by the country’s authorities, many held incommunicado. • Allegations of extrajudicial executions and other unlawful killings, arbitrary arrests and enforced disappearances. • Many Syrians fleeing to other countries to seek asylum such as the neighbouring country Turkey.
How many people are seeking asylum in the UK? • In the year ending March 2013, there were 22,592 asylum applications, a rise of 2,786 (+14%) on the previous 12 month period. • This increase in the latest year is driven by rises in applications from a number of nationalities, particularly nationals of Pakistan (+811), Syria (+686), Albania (+484), India (+458) and Bangladesh (+292). • Data is available on the total number of asylum seekers entering, leaving, and held in detention in each quarter. • There are currently 2,853 people held in detention centres around the country. • The total detainees were 7,093 but 4,166 have been removed and 30 have been given permission to stay.
Asylum seekers in Portsmouth. • There is only limited data on the location of asylum seekers within the UK. • Home Office data on the location of dispersed asylum seekers only counts those that receive financial support from the Home Office under section 95 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999. The location of asylum seekers capable of supporting themselves is not published. • At the end of Q1 2013 there were 117 asylum seekers supported under Section 95 living in Portsmouth local authority. Of these, 115 were in dispersed accommodation, while 2 received subsistence only support. • Data on detained asylum seekers does not identify their location. The detentions data indicates that a total of 139 people were detained in Haslar Immigration Removal Centre near Portsmouth at the end of2013, but it does not indicate how many of these were asylum seekers. • Nationally, around 61% of all people detained solely under Immigration Act powers at the end of Q1 2013 were asylum seekers. If the situation in Haslar IRC is similar to that for the UK as a whole then there would have been around 85 asylum seekers detained there at the end of 2013. However, the actual number may have been more or less than this.
How many have been deported? • In 2012 28,909 people entered detention, 13,161 were asylum seekers. • -17,243 were removed from the UK, 13,361 of which were failed asylum seekers. • -There are no full figures for 2013, but up until March 7, 093 people were being held in detention, 4,166 have been removed from the UK, of which 3,532 were failed asylum seekers. • -Therefore, 16, 893 failed asylum seekers have been removed from the UK from 2012 to the most recent figures of March 2013. • In 2012 28,909 people entered detention, 13,161 were asylum seekers. • -17,243 were removed from the UK, 13,361 of which were failed asylum seekers. • -There are no full figures for 2013, but up until March 7, 093 people were being held in detention, 4,166 have been removed from the UK, of which 3,532 were failed asylum seekers. • -Therefore, 16, 893 failed asylum seekers have been removed from the UK from 2012 to the most recent figures of March 2013.
