Amnesty International UK (AIUK) has submitted a formal response, published on 27 July, to the Home Office’s consultation on expanding Haslar immigration removal centre in Hampshire from 130 to 600 beds. The human-rights organisation argues that the four-fold increase would “normalise the use of lengthy, non-criminal detention” and risks breaching Britain’s obligations under the Refugee Convention and domestic equality law. Haslar closed as a removal centre in 2016 and was repurposed as contingency asylum accommodation in 2023 before reverting to detention use last year. The Home Office says extra capacity is essential to support the Illegal Migration Act’s accelerated removal timetable, but AIUK notes that 85 % of people released from UK detention in 2025 were ultimately not removed, questioning the cost-effectiveness of expansion. For global-mobility and corporate-counsel teams, the proposal highlights a broader policy drift toward enforcement over facilitation. Clients sponsoring work visas should anticipate tougher compliance audits and greater use of detention powers where paperwork is questioned at the border—even for short procedural issues such as missing TB-test certificates. Businesses may need to increase pre-departure document checks and consider enrolling travellers in digital-status verification schemes to avoid detention while status is resolved. The consultation, open until 31 August, also seeks views on transport links and community impact. Local employers near Portsmouth who rely on international staff could face reputational risks if community opposition escalates. Companies are encouraged to participate in the consultation to ensure operational realities, such as shift patterns that require 24-hour public transport, are factored into any expansion decision.
Source: Amnesty International UK
