Work incentives are usually a positive thing. But not when they support cruelty!
Employees of UK’s Home Office are being awarded holidays, shopping vouchers and even cash to deny asylum to those appealing decisions to deport them. The target is to deny 70% of the cases, and shopping vouchers of 25 and 50 pounds and other bonuses are given out to some who meet and exceed that target.
More than undermining confidence in the fairness of the system, the incentives program supports a policy of cruelty - sending asylum seekers back to countries where they can face persecution, torture, imprisonment or worse.
The Home Office objects to the criticism, claiming bonuses are given based on several criteria. However immigration lawyers say the incentives are unlawful, immoral and promote bad practices. They threaten legal action if the incentives are not withdrawn.
Rewarding people for jeopardizing the lives of others cannot be tolerated in a civilised society. Tell the Home Office to withdraw these cruel incentives at once.
We, the undersigned, agree that the Home Office incentives are unlawful, immoral and promote bad practices.
Most disturbing is the cruelty they encourage. Human rights organisations reported to the Guardian that they found convincing evidence that some rejected asylum seekers were indeed tortured or prosecuted after being deported.They had sought asylum in the UK because of the torture and then were returned home to be tortured again.
Even more outrageous is evidence found by another immigration advocate that some of the strongest cases for asylum were withdrawn by the Home Office on the hearing date, for fear their success would interfere with the 70% denial goal.
These incentives for cruelty are not reflective of the morals and laws of civilised society, and we request the Home Office withdraw them at once.
Thanks for your time.
