In a move that has stirred controversy, Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick has prohibited leading refugee charity Care4Calais from offering assistance to asylum seekers at a Home Office accommodation centre.
The revelation came to light through a freedom of information request made by Care4Calais after their teams were barred from the Napier barracks site in Kent. The charity had been providing support to asylum seekers at the location for several years.
Robert Jenrick directed that ‘Home Office is not to engage with Care4Calais either directly or indirectly’, an FoI request showed.
According to a report from The Guardian, the decision to bar Care4Calais was based on claims that the charity encouraged individuals to “complain” and engage with journalists. Care4Calais, known for its advocacy against government immigration policies, had been offering services such as legal clinics, form-filling guidance, and assistance for asylum seekers facing potential deportation to Rwanda.
The ban adds to a series of restrictions faced by Care4Calais. Earlier this year, Jenrick ordered a reception center for child migrants to paint over cartoon murals. The charity had also been prevented from providing services like haircuts and clothing to asylum seekers at the former RAF Wethersfield base in Essex.
Care4Calais suspected a connection between the ban at Napier and the Home Office’s perception that their advice had contributed to a protest at the Wethersfield site in September.
The charity submitted a freedom of information request, revealing an email from a Home Office accommodation manager directing Clearsprings Ready Homes, the contractor overseeing Napier, not to engage with Care4Calais.
A subsequent reply from a Clearsprings official, citing evidence of the charity encouraging actions such as refraining from travel, complaining, and engaging with the media, led to a confirmation from the Home Office that Care4Calais teams should be barred from the Napier site.
Steve Smith, the CEO of Care4Calais, condemned the government’s actions, questioning why Minister Jenrick was “so scared of asylum seekers having a voice to speak out about their treatment.” The charity has been a vocal critic of the government’s approach to immigration and has faced restrictions on various fronts.
A Home Office source contended that the decision was suggested by officials and agreed upon by Jenrick. While the source insisted it wasn’t accurate to portray the barring as a direct order from Jenrick, the impact on Care4Calais remains significant.
The incident raises concerns about the ability of advocacy groups to operate freely and provide assistance to vulnerable individuals. Asylum seekers depend on such organizations for support, and restrictions on their activities may limit the avenues for individuals to voice concerns about their living conditions and seek help.
The ongoing debate over government policies on immigration in the UK continues to draw attention, with questions arising about the treatment of asylum seekers and the constraints faced by advocacy groups critical of official approaches.
