Home Office Hiring Religious Adviser to Help Detained Illegal Migrants Get Married

The Home Office has advertised for a full-time religious affairs manager to advise detained illegal migrants on how to get married and organise weddings, despite the risk of ‘sham’ marriages as a way to avoid deportation. The Telegraph has the story.

The vacancy is a full-time post at Campsfield immigration removal centre, a new accommodation block near Oxford that will house up to 560 foreign criminals, failed asylum seekers and migrants facing deportation.

The job specification lists “main duties” for the position, starting off with running a comprehensive programme of religious activities to meet the needs of all the “residents” and managing the provision of worship and teaching opportunities for all faiths.

Among the duties is a requirement to “counsel residents who request marriage whilst in custody and make any necessary arrangements for the wedding”.

Despite the risk of “sham” marriages to UK nationals in a last-minute attempt to avoid deportation, foreign detainees – including convicted criminals – are legally entitled under human rights laws to tie the knot with prospective partners even while in custody awaiting their removal from the UK.

Chris Philp, the Shadow Home Secretary, said: “This is an absurd job advert which further insults the British taxpaying public. People in an immigration removal centre are either in the country illegally or are foreign criminals due for removal.

“In either case, they should be rapidly deported from the UK and it is ridiculous to be helping them get married here using taxpayers’ money. In my view this role shouldn’t even exist at all – people here illegally and foreign criminals should be rapidly deported with the minimum of fuss, delay and expense.”

The disclosure comes after a row over an immigration removal centre at Heathrow that advertised for staff to teach balloon craft, floristry, painting and hairdressing to migrants facing deportation.

Detained migrants awaiting deportation can marry or register a civil partnership provided there is no known legal impediment, the couple have complied with any requirements of an investigation by the Home Office and escorts can be arranged to take them to a wedding “without disrupting the smooth running of the centre”.

Worth reading in full.