Labour braced for wave of legal action over migrant hotels as immigration crisis deepens
Thousands of asylum seekers could be displaced by further legal challenges
- Epping Forest District Council successfully obtained a temporary High Court injunction to remove 136 asylum seekers from the Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex.
- This landmark ruling has prompted numerous councils across England, including some Labour-led ones, to assess their legal options for banning hotels used to house asylum seekers.
- The Home Office is developing contingency plans for housing asylum seekers, with legal action that could displace thousands of asylum seekers if legal action is undertaken by councils.
- Charities such as Refugee Council and Care4Calais have criticised the government's approach, urging quicker asylum application processing and better protection for those housed in hotels.
- Despite a reduction in the overall asylum backlog, hotel accommodation for asylum seekers remains expensive, costing up to £170 per night per person, with a significant number still housed in such facilities.