High Court Rules Government Acted Illegally in Housing Asylum Seekers at RAF Wethersfield

The court found the Home Office failed to consider the needs of vulnerable asylum seekers, including victims of trafficking and torture, when using the former RAF base as accommodation.

The High Court ruled that the Home Office unlawfully housed asylum seekers with disabilities and mental health issues at RAF Wethersfield without assessing the impact of its policy changes.
The judgment criticized the Home Secretary for failing to fulfill legal duties under the Equality Act and Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, particularly regarding victims of trafficking and torture.
Conditions at the site, described as 'prison-like,' have been linked to a mental health crisis, with reports of self-harm, suicidal ideation, and violence among residents.
Charities and aid organizations have called for the immediate closure of the site, citing inadequate living standards and harm to residents' well-being.
The Home Office has spent over £650,000 in taxpayer funds defending its use of Wethersfield, which was intended to reduce reliance on hotels for housing asylum seekers.

The Independent