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| Windrush row over criminal deportation flight to Jamaica | Windrush row over criminal deportation flight to Jamaica |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Home Secretary Sajid Javid has defended the deportation of a group of people to Jamaica on Wednesday - the first such flight since the Windrush scandal. | Home Secretary Sajid Javid has defended the deportation of a group of people to Jamaica on Wednesday - the first such flight since the Windrush scandal. |
| He said they were foreign nationals who had committed "serious crimes". | He said they were foreign nationals who had committed "serious crimes". |
| Campaigners insist some of them have been unfairly targeted and said about 35 people left on the flight, although that figure has not been confirmed. | Campaigners insist some of them have been unfairly targeted and said about 35 people left on the flight, although that figure has not been confirmed. |
| Some people, including an ex-Army soldier with PTSD, were granted a last-minute reprieve, a lawyer said. | Some people, including an ex-Army soldier with PTSD, were granted a last-minute reprieve, a lawyer said. |
| Campaigners reported that the flight to Jamaica left Birmingham on Wednesday morning. | Campaigners reported that the flight to Jamaica left Birmingham on Wednesday morning. |
| They claim the government's "hostile environment" immigration policy was to blame for the deportations and that many of the deportees had been in the UK since childhood. | They claim the government's "hostile environment" immigration policy was to blame for the deportations and that many of the deportees had been in the UK since childhood. |
| Those given a reprieve and not immediately being deported are believed to include a man who has applied to remain in the UK under the Windrush scheme. It was set up to assess the cases of those who may have been caught up in the scandal involving wrongful deportations. | Those given a reprieve and not immediately being deported are believed to include a man who has applied to remain in the UK under the Windrush scheme. It was set up to assess the cases of those who may have been caught up in the scandal involving wrongful deportations. |
| Online petition | Online petition |
| Campaigner and solicitor Jacqueline McKenzie said: "We are shocked that the government, not having received the conclusions of the Windrush Lessons Learnt Review should resume these mass deportation flights which were stayed in light of the Windrush scandal." | Campaigner and solicitor Jacqueline McKenzie said: "We are shocked that the government, not having received the conclusions of the Windrush Lessons Learnt Review should resume these mass deportation flights which were stayed in light of the Windrush scandal." |
| None of Ms McKenzie's clients was due to be on the flight but she said she is in touch with lawyers who successfully worked to keep some of the group in the UK. | None of Ms McKenzie's clients was due to be on the flight but she said she is in touch with lawyers who successfully worked to keep some of the group in the UK. |
| Other than the man applying under the Windrush scheme, they include three who are due to give evidence to an inquest in March after witnessing the death of an inmate at Morton Hall Immigration Removal Centre, Lincolnshire. | Other than the man applying under the Windrush scheme, they include three who are due to give evidence to an inquest in March after witnessing the death of an inmate at Morton Hall Immigration Removal Centre, Lincolnshire. |
| Former soldier and father-of-five Twane Morgan is also believed to have had a reprieve. Some 91,000 people have signed an online petition supporting him. | Former soldier and father-of-five Twane Morgan is also believed to have had a reprieve. Some 91,000 people have signed an online petition supporting him. |
| Mr Morgan, 36, was granted an injunction on Tuesday evening, meaning his case will be looked at again. | Mr Morgan, 36, was granted an injunction on Tuesday evening, meaning his case will be looked at again. |
| He arrived in the UK in 2003 and joined the Army the following year. He was discharged in 2007 with post traumatic stress disorder after two tours of Afghanistan but had not served long enough to become eligible for British citizenship. | He arrived in the UK in 2003 and joined the Army the following year. He was discharged in 2007 with post traumatic stress disorder after two tours of Afghanistan but had not served long enough to become eligible for British citizenship. |
| His sister, Tenisha, said "When he came out of the Army he didn't get any support or treatment, he was left to himself to integrate back into society and that didn't help, it made him who he is today - a shell of himself, zombified." | His sister, Tenisha, said "When he came out of the Army he didn't get any support or treatment, he was left to himself to integrate back into society and that didn't help, it made him who he is today - a shell of himself, zombified." |
| In 2011, Mr Morgan - who was living in Birmingham - was jailed for six years after assaulting a man. He served three. | In 2011, Mr Morgan - who was living in Birmingham - was jailed for six years after assaulting a man. He served three. |
| Tenisha added: "I don't condone violence, whether it's my brother or not, but at the end of the day, had he got treatment I don't think this crime would have been committed." | Tenisha added: "I don't condone violence, whether it's my brother or not, but at the end of the day, had he got treatment I don't think this crime would have been committed." |
| Owen Haisley, a 41-year-old from Manchester, is also now understood to have had his deportation halted, according to his friends. | Owen Haisley, a 41-year-old from Manchester, is also now understood to have had his deportation halted, according to his friends. |
| His MP, Labour's Lucy Powell, tweeted that it may be a temporary reprieve and that she would "continue to do all I can in this case". | His MP, Labour's Lucy Powell, tweeted that it may be a temporary reprieve and that she would "continue to do all I can in this case". |
| Mr Haisley entered the UK on his mother's passport as a four-year-old, and at the age of 11, was granted indefinite leave to remain. | Mr Haisley entered the UK on his mother's passport as a four-year-old, and at the age of 11, was granted indefinite leave to remain. |
| However, those imprisoned for a criminal offence lose that right and have to reapply, and when Mr Haisley did so after completing a jail term for assault in 2016, his application was rejected. | However, those imprisoned for a criminal offence lose that right and have to reapply, and when Mr Haisley did so after completing a jail term for assault in 2016, his application was rejected. |
| 'Tearing me away from family' | 'Tearing me away from family' |
| He told BBC Radio 5 Live: "I hold my hands up to what I've done but I've served my time, I've done my prison sentence, I've done all my rehabilitation, I've done my community service. | He told BBC Radio 5 Live: "I hold my hands up to what I've done but I've served my time, I've done my prison sentence, I've done all my rehabilitation, I've done my community service. |
| "I've done everything that's been required of me, and […] they're trying to tear me away from my family and my children and send me somewhere that I've never been back to. | "I've done everything that's been required of me, and […] they're trying to tear me away from my family and my children and send me somewhere that I've never been back to. |
| "If I had a British passport and [had] done them [the] things and went into prison and came out of prison, I would have been able to continue to get on with my life and be normal like any other person. I just want to know why I can't get that second chance." | "If I had a British passport and [had] done them [the] things and went into prison and came out of prison, I would have been able to continue to get on with my life and be normal like any other person. I just want to know why I can't get that second chance." |
| Mr Haisley has lived in Manchester for 29 years and said he didn't apply for a British passport as he previously had no need to do so. | Mr Haisley has lived in Manchester for 29 years and said he didn't apply for a British passport as he previously had no need to do so. |
| His children are aged five, seven and nine, and he says he will now only be able to see them in summer holidays, and over Skype, until he can apply to return in 10 years' time. | His children are aged five, seven and nine, and he says he will now only be able to see them in summer holidays, and over Skype, until he can apply to return in 10 years' time. |
| Mr Haisley, who considers himself to be British, added: "The fact they're trying to tear me away from my children and say I can keep in touch with them on the other side of the world on Skype, that's just outrageous. | Mr Haisley, who considers himself to be British, added: "The fact they're trying to tear me away from my children and say I can keep in touch with them on the other side of the world on Skype, that's just outrageous. |
| "I don't think any father out there, any parent out there, would think that's acceptable." | "I don't think any father out there, any parent out there, would think that's acceptable." |
| Home Secretary Sajid Javid said last year that at least 63 members of the Windrush generation - 32 of whom had been labelled foreign offenders - may have been wrongly deported to Jamaica. | Home Secretary Sajid Javid said last year that at least 63 members of the Windrush generation - 32 of whom had been labelled foreign offenders - may have been wrongly deported to Jamaica. |
| In the Commons on Tuesday, Labour MP David Lammy asked Mr Javid how he could be confident that none of the men due to be deported on Wednesday was also a victim of Home Office mistakes. | In the Commons on Tuesday, Labour MP David Lammy asked Mr Javid how he could be confident that none of the men due to be deported on Wednesday was also a victim of Home Office mistakes. |
| Mr Lammy suggested the men were easy targets for deportation because of their race, asking: "Why is it that in this country, black lives mean less?" | Mr Lammy suggested the men were easy targets for deportation because of their race, asking: "Why is it that in this country, black lives mean less?" |
| Mr Javid hit back, insisting that none of those being deported was a British citizen, or a member of the Windrush generation. | Mr Javid hit back, insisting that none of those being deported was a British citizen, or a member of the Windrush generation. |
| "Every single one of them has been convicted of a serious crime," he said, and deporting them was "a legal requirement" under the 2007 UK Borders Act. | "Every single one of them has been convicted of a serious crime," he said, and deporting them was "a legal requirement" under the 2007 UK Borders Act. |
| A Home Office spokesperson said some of those being deported had committed crimes as serious as rape or murder. | A Home Office spokesperson said some of those being deported had committed crimes as serious as rape or murder. |
| An estimated 500,000 people from Caribbean countries arrived in the UK between 1948 and 1971 and became known as the Windrush generation. | An estimated 500,000 people from Caribbean countries arrived in the UK between 1948 and 1971 and became known as the Windrush generation. |
| They were granted indefinite leave to remain, but changes to immigration law in 2012 meant many who arrived as children, without their own documents, found themselves unable to prove their status. | They were granted indefinite leave to remain, but changes to immigration law in 2012 meant many who arrived as children, without their own documents, found themselves unable to prove their status. |
| Some were subsequently held in detention or removed, despite having lived in the UK for decades, prompting widespread outrage. | Some were subsequently held in detention or removed, despite having lived in the UK for decades, prompting widespread outrage. |
| 'Lives at risk' | 'Lives at risk' |
| The Jamaican High Commissioner, Seth George Ramocan, said although it was "the same community we are dealing with" - the Jamaican community - it was important to be clear that there was a distinction between members of the Windrush generation and other migrants. | The Jamaican High Commissioner, Seth George Ramocan, said although it was "the same community we are dealing with" - the Jamaican community - it was important to be clear that there was a distinction between members of the Windrush generation and other migrants. |
| "Britain is a sovereign country... we have to abide by what the law of the land is," he added. | "Britain is a sovereign country... we have to abide by what the law of the land is," he added. |
| However, Mr Ramocan had called for "sensitivity" and "compassion" in the case of Mr Morgan. | However, Mr Ramocan had called for "sensitivity" and "compassion" in the case of Mr Morgan. |
| Karen Doyle, from the group Movement For Justice, which organised a protest outside the Jamaican High Commissioner's office against the deportation, said: "These are people with British accents, Londoners, Mancs and Brummies - who are expected to return to a country they don't know and if they return - their lives are truly at risk. | Karen Doyle, from the group Movement For Justice, which organised a protest outside the Jamaican High Commissioner's office against the deportation, said: "These are people with British accents, Londoners, Mancs and Brummies - who are expected to return to a country they don't know and if they return - their lives are truly at risk. |
| "The government hopes people will see the detainees as violent criminals who should be brutally removed for the safety of the public. But they're not." | "The government hopes people will see the detainees as violent criminals who should be brutally removed for the safety of the public. But they're not." |
| The Home Office said it uses scheduled commercial flights for deportations but charters flights where this is not an option, especially involving foreign offenders. | The Home Office said it uses scheduled commercial flights for deportations but charters flights where this is not an option, especially involving foreign offenders. |