Catalogue of failings in Home Office’s ‘flawed’ asylum system revealed in UN report

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/home-office-flawed-asylum-seekers-b2349038.html

31 May 2023

Catalogue of failings in Home Office’s ‘flawed’ asylum system revealed in UN report

A devastating catalogue of failings in the Home Office’s “flawed and inefficient” asylum system has been uncovered in a damning UN report.

The eight-month audit of the UK’s asylum system by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) picked apart the government’s immigration policy to reveal a deeply dysfunctional department.

The 200-page report found that children were wrongly detained as adults, trafficking victims were potentially missed, vulnerable people were locked up, and laws and government policies were violated. […]

The woman had requested an interpreter, but none was provided, and she struggled to recount the incident. […]

The report said he spoke to the woman in a different language without translation, “put his hand on her arm when she was preparing her answers” and when asked if she was safe in her accommodation, gave a “thumbs up” sign before the woman answered. […]

Asylum seeker’s request for interpreter refused

The UNHCR said in one observed interview where a claimant had asked for an interpreter, a Home Office official “refused on the basis that the claimant had come to the UK on a student visa which required knowledge of the English language and so she should not need one”.

The claimant explained that she felt uncomfortable continuing in English, and later “could not find the right word to describe an important detail”.

She said she had had difficulty understanding all the questions, but the official said it “would not matter”.

The asylum seeker’s request for an interpreter and concerns were not recorded, and a transcript falsely claimed that she answered “yes” to the unasked question: “Are you able to conduct an interview in English?”

Interpreters guiding interviewees

The UNHCR said it had also observed some interpreters taking a role “significantly beyond interpretation”, guiding asylum claimants, engaging in conversation with them without translating it for Home Office officials, and even arguing in some cases.

When one interpreter was meant to put a series of security questions to a man, they told him: “Answer ‘No’ to all these seven questions you have.” […]

https://www.unhcr.org/uk/news/press-releases/asylum-reforms-critical-addressing-current-challenges