46 h. ago Families arrested in LA Ice raids held in basements with little food or water, lawyers say

Agents confiscated belongings and rushed deportees to California’s high desert or Texas, saying local facilities had not prepared for influxLA protests – live updatesAs federal agents rushed to arrest immigrants across Los Angeles, they confined detainees – including families with small children – in a stuffy office basement for days without sufficient food and water, according to immigration lawyers.One family with three children were held inside a Los Angeles-area administrative building for 48 hours after being arrested on Thursday immediately after an immigration court hearing, according to lawyers from the Immigrant Defenders Law Center (ImmDef), which is providing non-profit legal services in the region. Continue reading...

Society

1 week ago 'Why can't it be a hotel again?' Tempers boil over at emergency meeting over migrant hotel blamed for filling Windsor village with dozens of male migrants

Almost 100 residents of upmarket Datchet, Berkshire, crammed into a village hall to demand the Manor Hotel be banned from taking taxpayers' cash to house migrants.

Events

1 week ago More than €1bn in EU funds used in discriminatory projects, report says

Examples from six countries include segregated housing for Roma and holding centres for asylum seekersHundreds of millions in European Union funds have been used in projects that violate the rights of marginalised communities, a report alleges, citing initiatives such as segregated housing for Roma, residential institutions for children with disabilities and holding centres for asylum seekers.The report, based on information compiled by eight NGOs from across Europe, looks at 63 projects in six countries. Together these projects are believed to have received more than €1bn in funding from the European Union, laying bare a seemingly “low understanding” of fundamental rights across the bloc, according to one of the authors of the EU-funded report. Continue reading...

Events

2 w. ago Repeated failings at migrant hotel where asylum seeker killed himself exposed

Special report: Staff at hotel were ‘not appropriately trained’ and Home Office officials didn’t know who was providing crucial services

Events

2 w. ago ‘My father came to the UK to find safety – but he died alone in an asylum hotel’

Victor Hugo Pereira Vargas killed himself in his hotel room at a Home Office asylum hotel in October 2023

Events

2 w. ago US firm that tests eligibility for UK disability benefits pays £10m in dividends

British arm of Maximus, which provides DWP assessments, reports a 23% rise in pre-tax profit in annual figuresThe British arm of a US contractor that profits from testing whether some people in the UK should receive disability benefits has paid £10m in dividends to its investors.Maximus, a Virginia-based business, reported a 23% rise in pre-tax profit for its UK arm, from £23.6m to £29.1m, in its financial year to the end of September, accounts lodged at Companies House show. Its revenue rose 2%, from £294m to £300m. Continue reading...

Economics

2 w. ago US firm that tests eligibility for UK disability benefits pays out £10m in dividends

British arm of Maximus, which provides DWP assessments, reports a 23% rise in pre-tax profit in latest annual figures The British arm of a US contractor that profits from testing whether some people in the UK should receive disability benefits has paid out £10m in dividends to its investors.Maximus, a Virginia-based business, reported a 23% rise in pre-tax profit for its UK arm, from £23.6m to £29.1m, in its financial year to the end of September, accounts lodged at Companies House show. Its revenue rose 2%, from £294m to £300m. Continue reading...

Economics

last month The 'migrant hotel kings' raking in millions from asylum seekers: Bosses of the three firms which have made £380m profit by providing refugee accommodation

The deals to house asylum seekers in hotels and other temporary accommodation have made the bosses of the firms behind the arrangements super rich.

Economics