Coordinating Local Responses to the Government’s Illegal Migration Bill

an opinion piece from John Hebden, founder of Abigail Housing 

Hi All,
We’ve all been shocked by the government’s latest asylum proposals – their  strategy to ‘stop the boats’.  It seems to rely on two things which are not yet in place –
1. Places to detain people who have entered the country ‘illegally’.
2. New ‘returns agreements’ with 3rd party countries.
Whilst it might be very difficult to put 2 in place, I understand that the Home Office has already begun to identify possible places to hold those that they wish to detain, including some disused army camps.

I wondered if interested agencies and individuals could put forward a Deputation to Leeds City Council’s Executive that says the Council refuses to cooperate with any attempt by the Home Office to establish places to detain people within it’s Local Authority area?

I realise that there may not be anywhere suitable near Leeds, but the LA would be establishing a point of principle – one that other LAs might already be looking at or might want to follow.

If you would like to be involved, please message me via [email protected] or 07715561981

Thanks for your attention,

John Hebden / Abigail Housing founder