London Daily

Focus on the big picture.

UK police share sensitive info about children seeking asylum with immigration authorities

UK police share sensitive info about children seeking asylum with immigration authorities

Police in the UK have been collecting sensitive information from hundreds of unaccompanied children seeking asylum and then sharing it with immigration authorities, raising concerns that it might be used against them in deportation proceedings, The Observer newspaper reported on Sunday.
In 2016, British authorities launched Operation Innerste in an effort to prevent unaccompanied migrant children living in Home Office-provided hotel accommodation from falling victim to human traffickers. Police officers meet children to have what is described as a “welfare conversation” to help establish a “trusting relationship.” During the interview, the officers take the child’s photograph and fingerprints, and are authorized to use force to ensure the child remains at the location, the Observer said.

According to data released under freedom of information rules, officers have so far collected biometric information on 2,400 children. The Observer also discovered that at one time police were instructed to download the contents of children’s mobile phones. A checklist with Immigration Enforcement, a Home Office department, branding posted on the website of child protective services in Sussex stated that “mobile devices and any SIM cards are to be downloaded” and shared with the Home Office’s command and control unit.

The Home Office said the checklist was out of date and came from either Sussex Police or local authorities in the county, and that “the downloading of phones or devices in the possession of any child does not form a routine part of the safeguarding process.” However, police and local authorities said the checklist originated with the Home Office.

It is unclear whether any children have faced any form immigration enforcement activities, such as detention or deportation, as a result of information gathered during Operation Innerste. When The Observer asked for this information, the Home Office declined to provide it on the grounds that the records of each individual child would need to be checked manually.

“There are legitimate concerns about what this ‘safeguarding’ involves, when some police forces are prosecuting illegal entry and the Home Office is collecting data from these encounters, while seeking to undermine the right to claim asylum,” Benny Hunter, a youth worker and campaigner for the rights of child asylum seekers, told The Observer.

Meanwhile, there is little evidence that Operation Innerste has had much success in its stated aim of preventing young asylum seekers from disappearing. According to the Home Office, 13 of 30 children reported missing between April 2020 and November 2022 were found but 17 remain unaccounted for.

However, The Observer reported in January that 136 children had disappeared during the preceding 18 months from a single hotel in Sussex used to house asylum seekers, 79 of whom remained unaccounted for. Shortly after the story was published, Home Office minister Simon Murray admitted that his department had no idea where 200 missing children might be.

Patricia Durr, chief executive of children’s rights organization Every Child Protected Against Trafficking, told the Observer that a better approach to preventing unaccompanied minors from going missing would be to prioritize appropriate care, accommodation and support, in particular by ending the practice of putting them up in hotels.

A Home Office spokesperson told The Observer “We make no apologies for safeguarding unaccompanied migrant children and it is completely inappropriate to suggest that police should not be part of this process.

“The police conduct vital safeguarding checks for unaccompanied child migrants who arrive into the UK.

“Information is shared with the Home Office and local authorities to support these children’s welfare and safety, and to identify potential offenders and persons likely to expose children to harm.”
Newsletter

Related Articles

London Daily
0:00
0:00
Close
Kamala Harris Wins Post-Debate Survey Against Donald Trump
Impact and Aftermath of 9/11 Attacks on the US and the World
Iran Denies Missile Deliveries to Russia Amid New Sanctions
Kamala Harris Claims to Own Guns, Denies Supporting Mandatory Buyback—Yet Said the Opposite Weeks Ago
Outrage in Uxbridge: 12 Police Officers Arrest Woman Over a Sandwich, Then Arrest Bystander for Swearing
Polaris Dawn: Historic Private Spacewalk Initiated
Sir Paul Marshall Acquires The Spectator for £100 Million
Neighbours Criticise Germany Over Extended Border Controls
Mazan Village in Shock Over Mass Rape Trial
Harris Commands Debate Against Trump
Wealthy Nations Criticized for Hypocrisy on Climate Protests
Controversial Netanyahu Documentary Premieres in Toronto
Labour's Winter Fuel Cut Passes Amid Controversy
Germany's New Border Controls: A Threat to EU Unity?
Global Religious Groups Spend Billions to Undermine Gender-Equality Education
Dave Grohl Announces Birth of Baby Girl
Brigitte Macron to Make Cameo in Netflix's Emily in Paris
Olympic Medals Stolen from Australian Rower's Car in Melbourne
Russia Receives Iranian Ballistic Missiles for Use in Ukraine
US and Europe Consider Easing Restrictions on Ukraine's Long-Range Strikes
Brazilian President Visits Amazon Amid Severe Drought and Wildfires
Concerns Raised Over Early Release of Prisoners
Labour Special Advisers Join Union Over Pay Concerns
NHS Trust Admits Contaminated Feed Caused Baby's Death After Decade of Denial
Dubai Conference Cancels Talk by Ex-Children’s Hospital Doctor Under Investigation
Manchester Adopts 'Housing First' to Combat Rough Sleeping
Airbnb Calls for More Power to Cornwall Council
EU Court Orders Google to Pay €2.4 Billion Fine
Apple Ordered to Pay Ireland €13bn in Unpaid Taxes
State Pension to Rise by £460 Next Year
Jeffrey Titford, Former UKIP Leader, Passes Away at 90
Grandmother Jailed for Stealing £70,000 from Bramcote School
Former Minister Sentenced for Defrauding Church and Widow
King Charles III to Undertake Extensive Australia Tour Amid Cancer Treatment
Early Release of Over 1,700 Prisoners Sparks Safety Concerns
UK Halts Iran Flights Amid New Sanctions
Prince William Celebrates Kate's Milestone and Welsh Culture
Government Plans Winter Fuel Payment Cuts After Commons Vote
Sir Keir Starmer Addresses Unions on Pay Decisions
Watchdog Recommends Expanding Acceptable ID for Voting
Internet Surpasses TV as UK's Leading News Source
House of Lords Warns UK Must Address Unsustainable Debt
Victims Unaware of Offenders' Early Release in England and Wales
Top Former US Military Leaders Endorse Kamala Harris, Criticize Trump
Kate Middleton Completes Chemotherapy, Gains New Perspective
Australia Implements Minimum Age for Social Media Use
Kim Jong Un Announces Increase in North Korea's Nuclear Arsenal
Chancellor Faces Labour MPs Over Winter Fuel Allowance Cut
Report Criticizes Sunak and Braverman for Comments on Met Police
Peter Nygard Sentenced to 11 Years for Sexual Assault
×