We are outraged to report that Campsfield Immigration Detention Centre reopens today. Supporters of the Coalition to Close Campsfield continue to call on the government to reverse its regressive step. The immigration detention centre in in Kidlington north of Oxford was closed in 2018. The closure was a result of years of protest and resistance involving people who were detained there and the local and national campaigners.

Coalition supporter Bill MacKeith said:

“It is awful that now we’ll see suffering and abuse at this site again. It is truly shocking that this is being imposed on those who will be detained and on local people, all of whose elected representative bodies have long opposed it.^[1]

“Reopening Campsfield is a terrible step backwards. It ignores evidence, public opinion and basic humanity. We will be there tomorrow in solidarity with the first detainees as they arrive.” 

Supporters of the Coalition will demonstrate at 4pm at Campsfield and at 6pm at Carfax in central Oxford on Wednesday 3 December as the first people are expected to brought from other detention centres action. Today’s action follows a demonstration outside the centre on 22 November.  

Campsfield has been ‘refurbished’ by Galliford Try at a cost of £70 million. It  will be run by MITIE, whose record at Harmondsworth elicited a scorching report from the Chief Inspector of Prisons only last year (‘the worst conditions [ever] seen in immigration detention’). The government has announced this 160-bed Phase 1 will be followed by a Phase 2 new-build to bring the number of beds up to 400 by 2030.

To get round the solid local opposition, the government plans to pursue a Crown Development route that cuts out the local planning authority (Cherwell Council). The CDO route effectively invites one government minister to agree with the wishes of another despite the clear wishes of local people.

Eiri Ohtani, Director at Right to Remain said:

“As the government continues with escalation of the Hostile Environment, it is regrettable but no surprise that Campsfield Immigration Detention Centre opens its gates again. People who were detained often say, you can leave detention but detention never leaves you. It’s time that everyone steps up to oppose immigration raids, detention and deportation that are ripping our communities apart. We closed Campsfield once – we can do it again.”

Right to Remain continues to stand in solidarity with everyone affected by the UK’s Hostile Environment against refugees, migrants and people seeking asylum. We can build our knowledge, radical solidarity and power to create a society that protects us all.

Join our new Knowledge is Power workshop on detention and enforcement and learn what you can do!

We have also published our Key Guide on Immigration Detention.

For more information about the Campsifled protest today, please contact Emma Jones 07763 209 850 or Bill MacKeith bmackeith@gmail.com 01865 558145

Right to Remain team