Labour’s David Lammy said the man, known only as Oliver, was invited to meet officials to clarify his immigration status but was handcuffed and taken to Pentonville, where he remains
The Home Office has been accused of ‘outrageous’ behaviour after a 62-year-old Windrush man was arrested following a meeting about his citizenship.
Labour’s David Lammy said the man, known only as Oliver, was invited to meet officials to clarify his immigration status but was handcuffed and taken to Pentonville, where he remains.
The father-of-three was arrested over a charge of handling stolen goods 20 years ago but denies the offence, the Tottenham MP said.
Mr Lammy said: ‘The Prime Minister and Home Secretary have repeatedly told Windrush citizens to come forward to the Home Office.
‘The Prime Minister told me in Parliament and in writing that no enforcement action will be taken against anyone that comes forward to the Home Office.
‘My constituent did what he was told and he is now in prison. I have been to see him this morning in custody and I am shocked and appalled at how he has been treated.
‘He thought he was getting his citizenship and passport and instead he got arrested in the Home Office’s building and taken to prison on a minor charge from two decades ago.
‘He is homeless and has been living on the streets because of the Home Office.
‘He is jobless and has been denied access to benefits and healthcare for years because of the Home Office.
‘He has been in the underground economy for decades living hand to mouth because of the Home Office.
‘This is outrageous. Oliver is the face of the hostile environment.
‘Home Office officials requested to attend my constituency surgery last week to help people get their citizenship.
But many of those who arrived in the Windrush era struggled to prove they are here legally because they lack these records, having never applied for British citizenship or passports (MPs debate the Windrush scandal in the Commons last month)
‘The head of the Commonwealth Taskforce asked me for advice on their ‘outreach strategy’, fully recognising the fact that people are too afraid to contact the Home Office.
‘My advice to the Commonwealth Taskforce is simple – do not tell people to come forward to the Home Office and then throw them in prison.’
Recent restrictions in immigration law require paperwork proof of near-continuous residence in the country.
But many of those who arrived in the Windrush era struggled to prove they are here legally because they lack these records, having never applied for British citizenship or passports.
Thousands of landing card slips recording the arrival of immigrants from that generation were destroyed in 2009 by the Home Office.
James Elliott, head of public law at Wilson Solicitors LLP said: ‘What normally happens when you’re arrested is you go to a police station but the man said this didn’t happen.
‘This is not an endorsement for people who may or may not have committed offences but this appointment at the Home Office was made in good faith.
‘The Home Office informed police and effectively trapped him.
‘We are not saying if wanted for serious crime, nothing should happen, but this is totally disproportionate and highly counterproductive.’