Cyprus: Covid-19 and Detention

Since the onset of the pandemic, Cyprus has engaged in multiple offshore pushbacks, preventing boats carrying hundreds of refugees from disembarking on the island. These incidents appear to have increased in frequency since August, as growing numbers of boats have attempted the journey from Lebanon. Although it is not known how many boats have departed […]

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Guatemala: Covid-19 and Detention

The Guatemalan Migration Institute reports that more than 1,400 unaccompanied minors have been expelled by U.S. authorities to Guatemala since March. The deportations have often taken place before the children are given the opportunity to apply for asylum. In October alone, some 407 children were expelled. (By contrast, 385 unaccompanied children were deported to Guatemala […]

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Hungary: Covid-19 and Detention

In October, the European Commission opened asylum-related infringement procedures against Hungary. According to ECRE, this is the fifth time such a procedure has been opened against the country since 2015. In a letter of formal notice, the commission says that new asylum procedures that were introduced in response to the coronavirus pandemic are in breach […]

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France Immigration Detention Data Profile (2020)

France Detention Data (2020) The latest detention-related data from France, including immigration and detention-related statistics, domestic laws and policies, international law, and institutional indicators. View the France Detention Data Profile Related Reading: France: Country Page France: COVID-19 Updates Immigration Detention in France: Longer, More Widespread, and Harder to Contest […]

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NEWSLETTER: U.S. Summary Deportations of Children to Mexico; Detention in Azerbaijan; Quarantine Facilities as Sites of “Detention”

The GDP’s latest research, including immigration detention laws and practices in Azerbaijan, and concerns surrounding detention issues in Niger, Paraguay, Morocco, and Singapore. […]

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United States: Covid-19 and Detention

There is a growing body of evidence revealing how the Trump administration, acting through the U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement and the Customs and Border Protection agencies, has exploited the COVID-19 pandemic to prevent access to asylum procedures, ramp up summary deportations of children and other vulnerable individuals, and decrease transparency with respect to measures […]

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France: Covid-19 and Detention

Shortly after the onset of the pandemic, France temporarily closed several immigration detention centres (centres de rétention administrative or CRA) (see 16 July and 12 May France updates on this platform). However, the Conseil d’Etat rejected a request to completely shutter CRA’s on 27 March 2020 (see 6 April France update on this platform). Some […]

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Webinar: “GCM Objective 13: Use Immigration Detention as a Measure of Last Resort and Work Towards Alternatives”

On 24 November, the GDP’s Executive Director joined a panel of experts to discuss the Global Compact on Migration’s Objective 13 (“Use immigration detention as a measure of last resort and work towards alternatives”), organised by Migrant Forum Asia (MFA).  The panellists, who also included William Gois (MFA), Verena Knaus (UNICEF), Dato’ Sri M. Ramachelvam […]

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Japan Immigration Detention Data Profile (2020)

Japan Detention Data (2020) The latest detention-related data from Japan, including immigration and detention-related statistics, domestic laws and policies, international law, and institutional indicators. View the Japan Detention Data Profile Related Reading: Japan: Country Page Japan: Detention Centres Report (2013): Immigration Detention in Japan […]

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Timor-Leste: Covid-19 and Detention

As of 9 November 2020, there had been only 30 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Timor-Leste. The government has received praise for its effective containment of COVID-19, in the context of a health system that government officials were concerned would not be able to cope with a public health emergency due to its fledgling nature. […]

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