Thousands of migrants are illegalised, locked up and forcibly deported every year for doing what people have done for thousands of years: moving in search of a better life, fleeing wars, persecution, discrimination, abuse and so on. Their lives are made miserable by discriminatory policies devised by unscrupulous decision makers and private companies that make vast profits from their suffering. From immigration prisons, reporting centres, to government and corporate offices, this map is intended to illustrate how the border regime in London and the surrounding areas works.
(click on the image above or the attachments at the bottom to download full-size map-poster)
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1. Heathrow Airport
The world's busiest airport, where many 'migrant-looking' passengers are routinely singled out and questioned for immigration purposes. Four of the airport's five terminals have a secure cell to hold those detained on arrival or held for further interrogation. There is also a short-term detention facility for those due to be deported called Cayley House. In 2010, the Chief Inspector of Prisons found the behaviour of immigration officers at Heathrow to be “poor”, with excessive use of force and a lack of awareness of their responsibilities towards families and children, who continue to be detained frequently in these supposedly short-term holding facilities for lengthy periods.
2. Gatwick Airport
Each of the airport's terminals, North and South, is provided with a so-called short-term holding facility, where migrants are detained on arrival, before being transferred to a detention centre proper, or on their way to be deported. Gatwick also has two detention centres within its grounds, Tinsley and Brook House (see below).
3. Stansted Airport
The airport used for most mass deportation chartered flights over the last few years. A private entrance is used so that normal passengers don't see what happens to deportees.
4. St Pancras station – Euston Road, N1C 4QP
With a Eurostar terminal, this international train station is a border in the heart of London, where 'migrant-looking' passengers coming from mainland Europe are singled out and questioned. The station has several 'holding rooms' for those detained or held for further interrogation.
5. Home Office HQ – 2 Marsham Street, SW1P 4DF
The government department that devises and implements, through the UKBA, the discriminatory and repressive immigration policies that make life miserable for so many migrants. Numerous reports have highlighted the poor quality of decisions made by Home Office caseworkers, and whistleblowers have revealed, more than once, a culture of racism and abuse among Home Office employees.
6. Lunar House – 40 Wellesley Road, CR9 2BY
The headquarters of the UK Border Agency (UKBA), the Home Office division responsible for borders, immigration and asylum. Lunar House is the only place in England where people can claim asylum if they are already in the country.
7. Taylor House – 88 Rosebery Avenue, EC1R 4QU
London's main Asylum and Immigration Tribunal (AIT), where asylum and immigration appeals are decided. Although there are some good and fair judges, others are known for unusually high rates of refusals.
8. York House and Gloucester House – 2-4 Dukes Avenue, TW14 0LS
Two Asylum and Immigration Tribunals in West London, with a particularly bad reputation. Asylum seekers and other migrants are finding it increasingly difficult to access adequate legal representation due to cuts to legal aid and the asylum process being speeded up.
9. Angel Square POU – 1 Torrens Street, EC1V 1SX
London's main Presenting Officer's Unit (POU), where the legal representatives of the Home Office in immigration court hearings are based. POUs are the equivalent of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in criminal courts.
10. Duncan Lewis – 1 Kingsland High St, E8 2JS
One of the biggest immigration solicitors firms which has ruined the lives of so many asylum seekers and migrants because of their greed, negligence and poor services, both inside and outside detention. Duncan Lewis also has offices in Harrow (29 Grove Hill Road, HA1 3BN), Shepherds Bush (54 Goldhawk Road, W12 8HA) and New Cross Gate (182 New Cross Road, SE14 5AA).
Immigration reporting centres are where asylum seekers and other migrants have to report on a regular basis (daily, weekly or monthly). This involves finger-printing and re-activating their biometric ID cards. There is no reason for this hardship and humiliation other than the authorities' will to keep migrants under control and make life more difficult. Most reporting centres are also provided with secure cells, where those detained while signing on are held for short periods of time before being deported or transferred to an immigration prison in special prison vans. Most are not designed for staying overnight but people have reportedly been held there for long periods subject to harassment and abuse by private security guards. They are also where immigration enforcement teams, or snatch squads who carry out dawn raids on people's homes, are usually based.
11. Becket House – 60-68 St Thomas Street, London Bridge, SE1 3QU
12. Communications House – 210 Old Street, EC1V 9BR
13. Eaton House – 581 Staines Road, Hounslow, TW4 5DL
14. Electric House – 3 Wellesley Road, Croydon, CR0 2AT
15. Overseas Visitors Records Office – 180 Borough High Street, SE1 1LH
A police centre where foreign visitors, including non-European students, have to register on arrival so that the government can keep them under control.
Officially known as 'immigration removal centres', these are special prisons where thousands of people are incarcerated every year for immigration control purposes – without charge or trial, and with no judicial supervision or time limit. Most of these are asylum seekers, but some are undocumented migrants or foreign nationals who have finished a criminal sentence and are then detained and deported as a secondary punishment. Racist and sexual abuse and physical violence at the hands of immigration officers and private security guards are frequently reported. Eight of the UK's 11 immigration prisons are run by private security companies. It costs between £120 and £130 per day to keep one person in detention.
16. Brook House – Perimeter Road South, Gatwick airport, RH6 0PQ
Opened in 2009, it holds over 400 male detainees at any one time. Brook House has a particularly notorious reputation for the poor services provided by G4S and the systematic use of solitary confinement, violence and abuse against detainees. In September 2007, No Borders UK organised a protest camp near Gatwick to protest against the building of Brook House.
17. Colnbrook – A4 Bath Road/Colnbrook by-pass, UB7 0FX
One of two immigration prisons located near Heathrow and the UK's most secure immigartion prison. Opened in August 2004, it is run by Serco and has a capacity of 308 for male and female detainees. It also has a short-term holding facility used to hold detainees temporarily before they are deported or moved to a proper immigration prison.
18. Harmondsworth – A4 Bath Road/Colnbrook by-pass, Heathrow, UB7 0FX
Heathrow's other immigration prison and the largest in the UK, with a capacity of 615 male detainees. Harmondsworth is most famous for the 2004 riot, which was sparked by the death of a detainee and led to its closure. Since then it has witnessed many other 'disturbances' and hunger strikes, as well as protests and blockades outside. It is run by GEO Group Ltd, which took over from Sodexo-owned Kalyx.
19. Tinsley House – Perimeter Road South, Gatwick airport, RH6 0PQ
Gatwick's other, and older, immigration prison, and the UK's first purpose-built detention centre. It has a capacity of 119 male detainees and 8 families. Despite its location within the grounds of the airport, Tinsley House has seen a number of protests, including one of the first blockades by Stop Deportation in March 2009 to try and stop a charter flight to Iraq. It is also run by G4S.
20. Cedars – Brighton Road, Pease Pottage, RH11 9AD
Officially known as a 'pre-departure accommodation', this converted school is where families are detained for a few days before their forcible deportation. This latest addition to Britain's detention estate, complete with a security fence and everything, was the government's response to its promise in 2010 to stop the detention of children. It is owned by Arora Hotels and run by G4S, with 'welfare services' provided by Barnardo's, which has effectively served to legitimise the continued detention of children and their families.
21. Barnardo's – Tanners Lane, Barkingside, IG6 1QG
Headquarters of the children's charity that has been providing 'welfare' services at the new Cedars family detention centre, thus legitimising the continued detention of children. Barnardo's has charity shops across the country. Its South East regional office, 22, is at Unit 1, Satellite Business Village, Fleming Way,Crawley, RH10 9NE.
23. Carlson Wagonlit – Maple House, High Street, Potters Bar, EN6 5RF
A travel agency that is contracted by the UKBA to book commercial and charter flights for deportations.
24. CgMs Consulting – Morley House, 26 Holborn Viaduct, EC1A 2AT
A private consultation firm that has been involved in the planning process and PR campaigns surrounding a number of immigration prisons, including Cedars.
25. G4S – 15 Carshalton Road, Sutton, SM1 4LD
The corporate head office of the multinational security company that runs three immigration prisons in the UK (Tinsley, Brook House and Cedars) and was, until recently, the main UKBA contractors for detainee escort services and running all reporting centres. Earlier this year, G4S, along with Serco and Reliance, won contracts to provide asylum accommodation. G4S's UK and Ireland head office, 26, is at The Manor, Manor Royal, Crawley, RH10 9UN.
27. GEO – 10 Suttons Business Park, Reading, RG6 1AZ
US-based multinational private prison company that runs Harmondsworth and Dungavel immigration prisons, and many others around the world.
28. Mitie – 22 Shand Street, SE1 2ES
A British outsourcing company, with headquarters in Bristol. It runs Campsfield immigration prison near Oxford.
29. Reliance - Boundary House, Cricketfield Road, Uxbridge, UB8 1QG
The head office of the growing security company that is taking over many fat contracts in the immigration 'market'. Last year it took over from G4S as the main provider of detention and deportation escort services. Reliance also manages most immigration reporting centres and short-term holding facilities, and is now one of the three main providers of asylum accommodation.
30. Serco – 22 Hand Court, High Holborn, WC1V 6JF
The research centre of Britain's biggest outsourcing company that has so many fingers in so many pies. In immigration, it runs Yarl's Wood and Colnbrook immigration prisons and is one of the main providers of electronic tagging and asylum accommodation. The company's headquarters is located at 16 Bartley Wood Business Park, Hook, Hampshire, RG27 9UY.
31. WH Tours – The Kelvin Centre, Crawley, RH10 9SF
A coach company that has been providing coaches to transport migrants due to be deported from detention centres to airports, particularly during mass deportation charter flights.
32. IOM – 11 Belgrave Road, SW1V 1RB
A shadowy agency that helps Western governments 'manage' global migration flows. Until recently it also ran so-called voluntary return schemes, which are now run in the UK by Refugee Action (150 Waterloo Road, SE1 8SB). Many of IOM's European functions have been in recent years taken over by the EU border agency Frontex.
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Becket House (60-68 St Thomas Street, London Bridge SE1 3QU) - Reporting centre for asylum seekers including "failed" asylum seekers.
CgMs (Morley House, 26 Holborn Viaduct, EC1A 2AT) - Planners who designed Cedars migrant prison.
Communications House (210 Old Street, EC1V 9BR) - Reporting centre for asylum seekers including "failed" asylum seekers.
Home Office (2 Marsham Street, Westminster SW1P 4DF) - Government department which governs immigration policy (through the UKBA).
IOM (11 Belgrave Road, SW1V 1RB) - Agency which manages migration movement globally.
Mitie (22 Shand Street, SE1 2ES) - Runs Campsfield migrant prison near Oxford.
Overseas Visitors Records Office (Brandon House, 180 Borough High Street, SE1 1LH) - Office where overseas visitors including non-EU students must register.
Refugee Action (Old Fire Station, 150 Waterloo Road, Waterloo SE1 8SB) - Runs CHOICES, the assisted "voluntary" return service.
Serco (22 Hand Court, High Holborn, WC1V 6JF) - Research centre of the company which run Yarl's Wood and Colnbrook migrant prisons.
St Pancras (Eurostar) (Euston Road, N1C 4QP) - Border point with mainland Europe. Has several "holding cells" for migrants.
Taylor House AIT (88 Rosebery Avenue, Farringdon,EC1R 4QU) - Asylum and Immigration Tribunal
Electric House (3 Wellesley Road, Croydon CR0 2AT) - Reporting centre for asylum seekers including "failed" asylum seekers.
G4S (Sutton Park House, 15 Carshalton Road, Sutton, SM1 4LD) - UK and Ireland Head Office of the multinational company which run migrant prisons ("detention centres").
Lunar House (40 Wellesley Road, Croydon CR9 2BY) - Headquarters of the UKBA.
Barnardo's (Tanners Lane, Barkingside, Essex IG6 1QG) - Headquarters of the children's charity providing "welfare" facilities at Cedars migrant prison near Gatwick.
Colnbrook (A4 Bath Road/Colnbrook by-pass, Heathrow, UB7 0FX) - Migrant prison holding 308 detainees at any one time. Run by Serco.
Eaton House (581 Staines Road, Hounslow TW4 5DL) - Reporting centre for asylum seekers including "failed" asylum seekers.
Harmondsworth (A4 Bath Road/Colnbrook by-pass, Heathrow, UB7 0FX) - Migrant prison, holding 615 males at any one time. Run by GEO Group Limited.
York House and Gloucester House (Hatton Cross) AIT(2-4 Dukes Avenue, Feltham, TW14 0LS) - Asylum and Immigration Tribunal
Barnardo's (Unit 1, Satellite Business Village, Fleming Way, Crawley, West Sussex, RH10 9NE ) - South East Regional Office of the children's charity providing "welfare" facilities at Cedars migrant prison near Gatwick.
Brook House (Perimeter Road South, Gatwick airport, Sussex RH6 0PQ) - Migrant prison, holding 426 male detainees at any one time. Run by G4S.
Cedars (Brighton Road, Pease Pottage, near Gatwick, Sussex RH11 9AD) - Migrant prison for children and families, run by G4S with "welfare facilities" provided by Barnardo's.
Carlson Wagonlit (Maple House, High Street, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, EN6 5RF ) - Agency who book deportation flights on behalf of the UKBA.
GEO Group UK (10 Suttons Business Park, Suttons Park Avenue, Reading,RG6 1AZ) - Run Dungavel and Harmondsworth migrant prisons.
G4S (The Manor, Manor Royal, Crawley, West Sussex,RH10 9UN) - Corporate Head Office of the multinational company which run migrant prisons.
Tinsley House (Perimeter Road South, Gatwick airport, Sussex RH6 0PQ) - Migrant prison, holding 119 males and 8 families at any one time. Run by G4S.
WH Tours (The Kelvin Centre, Kelvin Way, Crawley, West Sussex, RH10 9SF) - Coach company which takes detainees to airports to be deported.
Yarl's Wood (Twinwoods Business Park, Thurleigh Road, Clapham, Bedfordshire MK41 6HL) - Migrant prison holding 405 detainees at any one time. Run by Serco.