The human cost of the UK’s “one in, one out” asylum scheme reveals how detained people on the move are being subjected to psychological harm, denied safeguards, and pushed into conditions that heighten the risk of trafficking and modern slavery.
Eighty asylum seekers currently detained ahead of deportation to France have formally called on UN bodies to investigate their treatment. They describe experiences of “fear, humiliation and psychological distress” at the hands of the Home Office. Their testimony raises urgent concerns about how this policy is endangering people already at high risk of exploitation.
Detention without protection
The asylum seekers, many of whom fled conflict zones including Sudan, Afghanistan, and Iran, are being held at an immigration removal center in the UK. In a official report, the detainees accuse the Home Office of arbitrary detention, denial of legal representation, inadequate medical care, and degrading treatment.
They told The Guardian that they arrived in the UK “in the pursuit of safety, dignity and a chance to live a peaceful life.” On the contrary, they find themselves criminalized and detained under a policy that prioritises removals over protection.
The report states that the Home Office did not give enough time to recover from traumatic journeys or access psychological support after interviews. Additionally, authorities cut many off from all family contact once detention began.
As reported by The Guardian, the document states,
Many detainees are young adults between the ages of 17 and 30. Detainees report widespread depression, anxiety, insomnia, and emotional breakdowns. There have been multiple incidents involving individuals experiencing severe mental health crises, including self-harm attempts.
Instead of providing care, authorities placed them in isolation or disciplinary units. “This environment has created constant fear, despair, and uncertainty, with detainees expressing that they feel dehumanised and invisible.”
A gift to traffickers
For people on the move, policies like “one in, one out” do not deter exploitation — they enable it. By forcibly returning people without adequate screening or support, the UK is effectively recycling vulnerability.
Meanwhile, they argue their treatment amounts to punishment for seeking protection and violates fundamental human rights. “The authors of this report ask not for privilege, but for fairness, humanity, and freedom,” they write. “They ask to be seen, heard, and treated as human beings.”
Freedom United has long warned that deterrence-based migration policies fuel trafficking rather than prevent it. When governments block safe routes and strip people of dignity, traffickers step in to exploit desperation.
The solution is clear: end detention-led deportation schemes, uphold the UK’s obligations to modern slavery survivors, and create genuinely safe, accessible migration pathways. Anything less leaves people on the move trapped between state violence and criminal exploitation.
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