Amnesty International UK has submitted a detailed response opposing the Home Office plan to expand Haslar Immigration Removal Centre, near Portsmouth, from 130 to 600 beds. Published on 27 July 2026 as part of the Crown Development consultation, the 34-page paper argues that the UK already detains far more migrants than it can lawfully remove and that mass expansion will exacerbate human-rights risks without solving backlogs. The charity points to independent inspectorate reports showing average detention times rising to 35 days in 2025—double the 2019 figure—and notes that half of detainees are ultimately released into the community, indicating low removal prospects. Haslar, which was only re-opened in April 2025 after a decade of closure, has already faced staffing shortages and medical-care complaints. For global-mobility and relocation teams, the expansion signals a hardening enforcement posture that could translate into more dawn raids and compliance visits at workplaces. While business-visa holders are rarely detained, employers that sponsor lower-paid staff (for example, in hospitality or logistics) could see a rise in enforcement checks, making rigorous right-to-work record-keeping essential. Amnesty recommends that the government invest instead in community-based alternatives to detention and faster case-working. The submission could inform legal challenges once full planning permission is sought. Corporates relocating foreign talent to the UK should watch the policy debate closely, as reputational risks linked to supply-chain detention practices continue to grow under ESG metrics. A final ministerial decision on Haslar’s expansion is expected later in the autumn, following review of consultation feedback.
Source: Amnesty International UK
