Indie review blasts detained immigrants' Facebook, Skype ban

An independent review into the welfare of immigration detainees has suggested that current restrictions on internet access – including preventing access to immigration claims help sites, and blanket bans on Skype and Facebook – are irrational and counter-productive. The 349-page review (PDF) by Stephen Shaw, the former prisons …

[Anonymous Coward]

So these people shouldn't be in the UK, but they should have access to UK services...? I'm American, but maybe I've decided to illegally enter the UK to swendle their health care.

It sucks not having a home, that is what makes a home precious.

[frank ly]

Facebook and Skype aren't 'UK sevices'. The marginal cost of access to an imigration claims help site is zero and it may not be a site not run by the government anyway. The question is, why don't the government want them to have access to information that is freely available to everybody else and to be able to communicate with people who can give them information and advice?

[James 51]

He's probably just a troll. All your points are good ones however and the answer I am afraid is obvious. To strip them both of the will and the means to lawfully challenge the system they are caught up in.

[Anonymous Coward]

I am sick and tired of American health tourists coming over here and burdening our NHS.

Sure it's understandable, given they have the worst healthcare system among all developed and developing nations, but enough is enough.

I demand that all people wearing white socks with sandals, and calling everything "quaint" be refused medical care.

[Anonymous Coward]

>> I demand that all people wearing white socks with sandals, and calling everything "quaint" be refused medical care.

Zis is not acceptable! We Germans do not recognise ourselves in zis stereotype!

(But we do like you to join us and holiday like a German!)

But then again, we rather we feel more comfortable being treated in "somewhat more up-to-date", "financially sound" facilities that do not date from the Victorian/ Edwardian/ Georgian age...

[Joe Werner]

Criminal...

If your home country defines leaving it as a crime of course many are criminals. We had that with the GDR several years back... I do try to keep it in mind and also that I am a sort of economical refugee, seeking a job outside my home country

[DavCrav]

Re: Criminal...

"If your home country defines leaving it as a crime of course many are criminals."

Foreign criminal = foreigner who committed a crime in the UK and awaits deportation.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Criminal...

> Foreign criminal = foreigner who committed a crime in the UK and awaits deportation.

1. Provide a reference.

2. Explain the basis in law which justifies the imposition of those restrictions on the aforementioned classes, with or without judicial mandate.

Thank you.

[DavCrav]

Re: Criminal...

>>"> Foreign criminal = foreigner who committed a crime in the UK and awaits deportation.

>>1. Provide a reference."

What? I was saying that a "foreign criminal" in a UK detention centre is there because they have committed a UK crime, not because they are fleeing persecution. They might of course also be fleeing persecution, but they would not be referred to as a criminal in this case.

But if you want me to do all your fucking work for you, let me Google that for you. A Google search for definition of foreign criminal, first hit,

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/337253/Article_8_ECHR_Guidance_-_v5_0_-Version__2_.pdf

Section 2.1, entitled The definition of “foreign criminal”, defines a foreign criminal as the following:

"The definition of a foreign criminal is set out at section 117D(2) of the 2002 Act and means a person who is not a British citizen, who has been convicted in the UK of an offence, and who has been sentenced to a period of imprisonment of at least 12 months, or has been convicted of an offence that has caused serious harm, or is a persistent offender."

I.e., I'm right, you are right, STFU.

"2. Explain the basis in law which justifies the imposition of those restrictions on the aforementioned classes, with or without judicial mandate."

It's not up to me to justify whether the UK government is obeying UK law, but I assure you that it is legal to detain people who break UK law. That's pretty much what prisons are for.

"Thank you."

You're welcome