In a tragic series of events, a Colombian man, Frank Ospina, who was apprehended within the perimeters of the UK in March, passed away while in an immigration removal centre later the same month. The mourning family asserts Ospina had pleaded for aid and was prepared to withdraw from the UK voluntarily.
Upon his arrest, Ospina was retained while under process for deportation. The family maintains that there were no pre-existing mental health issues. In the grim aftermath of his untimely demise, multiple attempts at suicide by clusters of detainees have been unveiled. This happening in wake of the anticipated release of an investigative report into alleged misconduct by personnel at Brook House facility, a centre near Gatwick airport. A public inquiry was initiated in the aftermath of a groundbreaking undercover expose by BBC Panorama in 2017.
A closer look at immigration removal centers, established to hold people denied the right to reside in the UK, or foreign nationals who have served prison sentences and await deportation, uncovers significant tension. Frustration is reportedly rising among those being held due to the sluggish resolution of their respective cases. The residual effects of these delays are seemingly impacting detained individuals’ mental health.
The unfortunate instance of Ospina, a 39-year-old Colombian engineering graduate, is a case in point. He arrived in the UK in late 2022 to spend time with his mother, who was settled in the country, and explore potential universities. Ospina, having decided to pursue a Master’s Degree in Spain due to start in May, assumed a short-term dishwashing job before setting off – an error that led to his arrest in an immigration raid due to his foreign national status. Ospina’s mental health rapidly declined in the aftermath of his detention.
Following two weeks in custody, Ospina’s family found him suffering from a significant mental decline. The charity Bail for Immigration Detainees later confirmed that Ospina had assented to withdraw from the UK voluntarily, contradicting any attempts to avoid deportation.
Tragically, it was revealed that after receiving the alarming news about Ospina’s deteriorating mental state, his family made desperate entreaties to him. However, they were to receive grim news soon after – Ospina had attempted suicide twice, the second of which had proven fatal.
Nonetheless, the government recognizes the stifling atmosphere of immigration detention centers, acknowledging the effect of their prison-like environment on the mental health of detainees. Another former detainee under a pseudonym comments, ”in other countries, they will fingerprint you, then they will give you a document asking you to leave the country. Not detain you for months.” The Home Office has under consideration concerns about mental health. Yet, organizations like Medical Justice argue that the focus should be more on the mental health of individuals, with the majority of the 66 cases they reviewed showing a decline in mental health during custody.
Investigations are underway, with an inquest slated in the coming months to examine the circumstances of Ospina’s untimely fate. A tragic tale that puts a spotlight on the immigration detention system within the UK demands a more compassionate and efficient approach to dealing with asylum seekers and detainees. As one detainee put it, “Nobody should have to go through this again.”
