Home Office hope to move 400 people from overcrowded Manston centre, says union

A union representing Border Force workers at an overcrowded immigration centre in Kent says the Home Office hope to move 400 people out of the site on Tuesday.Lucy Moreton of the Union for Borders, Immigration and Customs (ISU) added the Home Office has not replied to their requests for increased support for staff working at the Manston processing centre.The site, located at a former Ministry of Defence fire training centre, opened in January 2022 and was designed to hold up to 1,600 people for no more than 48 hours.However, on Monday Sir Roger Gale, Conservative MP for the North Thanet constituency which includes Manston, said there were currently 4,000 people being held at the site and conditions there were ‘bordering on the inhumane’.On Tuesday at least two coaches with heavily tinted windows were brought onto the site – and Ms Moreton said they were brought with the intention of moving some people on to more suitable accommodation.However, she criticised the Home Office’s lack of response to the ISU’s calls for better support for staff.Speaking to the PA news agency, Ms Moreton said: ‘I understand there are now coaches on site with the intention of moving some migrants on to more suitable accommodation.’I don’t know yet how many will go today but yesterday we were told the aim was to move 400. No coaches have left yet.’Sadly, nothing is being done to relieve the pressure on staff.’We have asked the Home Office for increased support, for wellbeing and mental health services and for assurances to address staff concerns around the legality of instructions they are being given, the sustainability for the short and medium term and any ongoing threat to staff.’The Home Office have not replied.’On Tuesday afternoon a Home Office spokesman indicated it would not be providing a ‘running total’ of the number of people currently located at the Manston centre.The Home Office has been contacted for comment.Meanwhile the British Red Cross said ‘immediate action’ needs to be taken to remedy the situation at Manston.Alex Fraser, director of refugee services and restoring family links at the charity, said: ‘We are extremely concerned about the escalating humanitarian situation at Manston.’It’s clear that immediate action is required to ensure that the men, women and children who have just made a dangerous and potentially traumatic journey have their basic needs met in a safe environment.’No one should experience overcrowded accommodation that puts them at risk of disease and potentially being detained unlawfully. We know from our work supporting people in similar temporary accommodation what a damaging impact it can have on them.’Sadly, the serious problems at Manston are indicative of the wider issues facing the asylum system.’The UK Government needs to urgently look at ways of reducing the backlog of asylum decisions, including making quicker decisions for nationalities who typically have their asylum claims approved, and providing more safe routes so people who have been forced to leave their homes do not have to make dangerous journeys and gamble with their lives.’Our country has a proud history of helping people fleeing war and persecution. It doesn’t matter how you got here, everyone deserves to be treated with compassion and humanity once you’re on our shores.’