𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Legal advisers are refusing to take on cases involving migrants facing removal to France under the UK’s “one-in, one-out” scheme, it has been revealed. An official inspection of a removal operation at Stansted Airport found that out of 38 migrants scheduled for flights to Paris, only six were ultimately taken off the operation list after legal intervention.

The findings were set out by Charlie Taylor, who is the independent watchdog responsible for inspecting prisons, immigration detention centres and related removal operations in England and Wales. He reported that migrants detained ahead of deportation were often unable to access legal advice in time to challenge their removal. In some cases, solicitors did not respond to urgent requests for help. In others, firms declined the cases altogether.

The document said that even where representation could be secured, the short time between detention and departure meant lawyers had limited opportunity to collect evidence or prepare legal arguments, reported GB News. That, it said, weakened the ability of detainees to bring effective challenges.

One immigration lawyer with experience in asylum and detention work said there is a wider shortage of qualified solicitors, with demand far exceeding capacity. They also claimed some practitioners are unwilling to take on removal cases because of relatively low pay and the level of public scrutiny they attract.

The same source suggested that legal provision across the asylum system is stretched, estimating there are only enough immigration lawyers to represent around half of asylum seekers in the UK.

The Home Office says about 400 migrants have been removed to France under the scheme, which operates on a reciprocal basis with the same number of asylum seekers transferred in the opposite direction.

Concerns were also raised about the conduct of removals. During one observed operation, migrants were transported using physical restraints, including arm, leg and waist restraints. The inspector recorded that on arrival in Paris, two individuals required arm restraints after becoming disruptive.

In total, 32 migrants were placed on one flight, escorted by 73 staff and accompanied by two paramedics.

Legal challenges to the policy are under way. A group of 16 migrants is arguing that the scheme is unlawful because it restricts their ability to raise last-minute modern slavery claims before removal, limiting access to protections.

Some claim France cannot be relied upon to meet international obligations on trafficking victims or to provide adequate accommodation and healthcare on return.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood changed the law last year to restrict last-minute modern slavery claims intended to delay removals, allowing them only after individuals have left the UK.

The UK–France agreement is due to expire in June, though both governments are in talks about extending or making it permanent.