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Home Office apologises for letters threatening to deport EU nationals Home Office apologises for letters threatening to deport EU nationals
(35 minutes later)
The Home Office has apologised after it mistakenly sent up to 100 letters to EU nationals living in the UK ordering them to leave the country or face deportation.The Home Office has apologised after it mistakenly sent up to 100 letters to EU nationals living in the UK ordering them to leave the country or face deportation.
One of the letters was publicised on social media by a Finnish academic who believed she was about to be forced to leave, prompting the government to admit that it had sent 100 or so letters threatening recipients with deportation. It could not confirm how many went to EU nationals, but said that all were from within the European Economic Area. One of the letters was publicised on social media by a Finnish academic who believed she was about to be forced to leave, prompting the government to admit it had sent 100 or so letters threatening recipients with deportation, and warning that they could face detention under the Immigration Act. The Home Office could not confirm how many went to EU nationals, but said that all were from within the European Economic Area.
The error emerged after Eva Johanna Holmberg, who has lived in the UK with her British husband for most of the last decade, spoke of her dismay at receiving one of the letters, which said that if she did not leave the country of her own accord the Home Office would give “directions for [her] removal”. The error emerged after Eva Johanna Holmberg, who has lived in the UK with her British husband for most of the last decade, spoke of her dismay at receiving one of the letters, which said that if she did not leave the country of her own accord the Home Office would give “directions for [her] removal”. It added that she was “a person liable to be detained under the Immigration Act”.
Holmberg, a visiting academic fellow from the University of Helsinki at Queen Mary University of London, was told in the letter that she had a month to leave.Holmberg, a visiting academic fellow from the University of Helsinki at Queen Mary University of London, was told in the letter that she had a month to leave.
But after the Guardian asked the Home Office for clarification of her situation it immediately backtracked and said the letter was one of about 100 sent by mistake. After the Guardian asked the Home Office for clarification of her situation it immediately backtracked and said the letter was one of about 100 sent by mistake.
“A limited number of letters were issued in error and we have been urgently looking into why this happened,” a spokesperson said. “We are contacting everyone who received this letter to clarify that they can disregard it. “A limited number of letters were issued in error and we have been urgently looking into why this happened,” a spokesperson said. “We are contacting everyone who received this letter to clarify that they can disregard it. We are absolutely clear that the rights of EU nationals living in the UK remain unchanged.”
“We are absolutely clear that the rights of EU nationals living in the UK remain unchanged.”
The government had previously told EU nationals they did not need to apply for residency because their status was not at risk.The government had previously told EU nationals they did not need to apply for residency because their status was not at risk.
After the mistake came to light, the Home Office called Holmberg to “apologise profusely”, she said. But the person who telephoned her would not confirm that the government would cover her legal costs of about £3,800. “The best way to apologise and ease my distress would be to cover my expenses,” she said. The Home Office would not say whether it intends to cover the costs of those who received the letters. After the mistake came to light, the Home Office called Holmberg to “apologise profusely”, she said. But the person who telephoned her would not confirm that the government would cover her legal costs of about £3,800. “The best way to apologise and ease my distress would be to cover my expenses,” she said. The Home Office would not say whether it intended to cover the costs of those who received the letters.
Holmberg added that the situation was evidence of serious failings at the Home Office. “I believe this is a case of incompetence,” she said. “They don’t have enough resources to handle their application procedures and there is, so to speak, a fault inbuilt in the system.”Holmberg added that the situation was evidence of serious failings at the Home Office. “I believe this is a case of incompetence,” she said. “They don’t have enough resources to handle their application procedures and there is, so to speak, a fault inbuilt in the system.”
Yvette Cooper, the Labour chair of the home affairs select committee, said the error was disgraceful and would have caused huge anxiety and distress for the families affected. Yvette Cooper, the Labour chair of the home affairs select committee, said the error was disgraceful and would have caused anxiety and distress for the families affected.
“We cannot afford for the Home Office to make mistakes like this,” Cooper said. “Ministers will need to set out how many other errors have been made, and what is being done to remedy them. I am very concerned about the Home Office’s capacity and capability to deal with changing arrangements for EU citizens. The home affairs select committee will be taking evidence on this when parliament returns.”“We cannot afford for the Home Office to make mistakes like this,” Cooper said. “Ministers will need to set out how many other errors have been made, and what is being done to remedy them. I am very concerned about the Home Office’s capacity and capability to deal with changing arrangements for EU citizens. The home affairs select committee will be taking evidence on this when parliament returns.”
Diane Abbott, the shadow home secretary, said the error would no doubt “cause a lot of anxiety”. She said: “As this government is prone to U-turns the only assurance worth anything to those affected is official documentation their settled status.” Diane Abbott, the shadow home secretary, said the error would no doubt “cause a lot of anxiety”. She said: “As this government is prone to U-turns the only assurance worth anything to those affected is official documentation of their settled status.”
Before receiving the news that the deportation order was issued in error, Holmberg described her horror at the threat to her UK status. Before receiving the news that the deportation order had been issued in error, Holmberg described her horror at the threat to her UK status.
“It seems so surreal and absurd that I should be deported on the grounds that I’m not legal. I’ve been coming and going to this country for as long as I remember,” she said. “I don’t know what kind of image they have of me but it’s clearly quite sinister based on the small amount of info they actually have on me.”“It seems so surreal and absurd that I should be deported on the grounds that I’m not legal. I’ve been coming and going to this country for as long as I remember,” she said. “I don’t know what kind of image they have of me but it’s clearly quite sinister based on the small amount of info they actually have on me.”
Holmberg had lived in the UK without complications for some time, but on the day Theresa May triggered article 50, she applied to confirm her status as an EU-qualified person who had the right to remain in the UK – for her own “peace of mind”. But her application was refused on 29 June because the “University of Helsinki [is] not located in the UK, therefore you are not employed in the UK”. Holmberg had lived in the UK without complications for some time, but on the day Theresa May triggered article 50 she applied for a “qualified person certificate” to confirm her right to remain in the UK for her own “peace of mind”. But her application was refused on 29 June because the “University of Helsinki [is] not located in the UK, therefore you are not employed in the UK”.
Said said: “I thought that it seems that they don’t even know what’s going on and that a new system is coming soon so I thought I’ll just wait until they sort themselves out and figure out what kind of documentation and proof is needed,. So, I spoke to my husband and friends and decided to just leave this, at least I don’t have to leave the UK – it’s OK. Holmberg said: “I thought that it seems that they don’t even know what’s going on and that a new system is coming soon so I thought I’ll just wait until they sort themselves out and figure out what kind of documentation and proof is needed. So I spoke to my husband and friends and decided to just leave this; at least I don’t have to leave the UK – it’s OK.
“I realise that I probably shouldn’t have done that because last Thursday I get this notice saying: ‘A decision has been taken to remove you from the UK.’“I realise that I probably shouldn’t have done that because last Thursday I get this notice saying: ‘A decision has been taken to remove you from the UK.’
The scale of the Home Office error will unsettle EU nationals who have been previously told by the government to stay calm and wait to apply for the right to remain until new systems are put in place next year. About 3.5 million EU citizens live in the UK, and many of them have described their anxiety over the possibility of their deportation since the Brexit vote.The scale of the Home Office error will unsettle EU nationals who have been previously told by the government to stay calm and wait to apply for the right to remain until new systems are put in place next year. About 3.5 million EU citizens live in the UK, and many of them have described their anxiety over the possibility of their deportation since the Brexit vote.
James McGrory, executive director of the pro-EU lobby group Open Britain, said: “It’s little wonder that many EU citizens feel worried about their future status in the UK when they hear of people with every right to be here getting letters threatening their deportation.” James McGrory, the executive director of the pro-EU lobby group Open Britain, said: “It’s little wonder that many EU citizens feel worried about their future status in the UK when they hear of people with every right to be here getting letters threatening their deportation.”
The Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman, Ed Davey, said that the letters shamed Britain. “EU nationals who have made their lives here are already facing huge uncertainty over Brexit. It is appalling that some are now being officially threatened with deportation,” he said. “Amber Rudd should personally write to apologise to each of those affected and explain why such a catastrophic error was made.” The Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman, Ed Davey, said the letters shamed Britain. “EU nationals who have made their lives here are already facing huge uncertainty over Brexit. It is appalling that some are now being officially threatened with deportation,” he said. “Amber Rudd should personally write to apologise to each of those affected and explain why such a catastrophic error was made.”
Holmberg said the Brexit vote had been a shock to her. “I tend to be an optimistic person so on the night of the result I decided I’d go to sleep and wait for the result in the morning,” she said. “My husband, who was less optimistic, stayed up all night and watched it unfurl. The irony is that he was actually interviewed by the Finnish media on the day and he said: ‘I’m worried this will make my life and my wife’s life more difficult,’ and they were prophetic words.” Holmberg said the Brexit vote had come as a shock to her. “I tend to be an optimistic person so on the night of the result I decided I’d go to sleep and wait for the result in the morning,” she said. “My husband, who was less optimistic, stayed up all night and watched it unfurl. The irony is that he was actually interviewed by the Finnish media on the day and he said: ‘I’m worried this will make my life and my wife’s life more difficult,’ and they were prophetic words.”