Safe at Last? - Children on the front line of UK Border Control

Every week at British ports, vulnerable children are found crammed in the boots of cars, hidden in lorries and found hanging underneath trucks. Many have travelled for months, alone, under the control of abusive smugglers. They arrive exhausted, traumatised, hungry and often sick or injured. Many have not slept or eaten properly for days. When they arrive, the children believe they are safe at last. Their treatment by the UK Border Agency undermines that belief.

This report reveals the experiences of children in their own words. Upon arrival in the UK they have been arrested, detained for up to 24 hours, denied vital medical attention and sometimes food before being subjected to an arduous interview about their immigration status by the UK Border Agency. These interviews, often described by UK Border Agency staff as Illegal Entrant Interviews, take place without a legal representative or independent adult present. Information obtained from the child is*frequently used against their claim* for international protection.
Refugee and Migrant Justice (RMJ) believes this treatment of children is not just inhumane, but unlawful.

Our report draws from the experiences of children helped by Refugee and Migrant Justice (RMJ), a charity that provides legal advice and representation to asylum seekers and other vulnerable migrants. With offices and surgeries in many different locations in England and Wales, we see significant numbers of separated children, most of whom are new to the UK.