Lawyer Sulaiha Ali says victims of crime are being handled as criminals as a result of of their immigration standing
More than half of UK police forces are handing over victims of crime to the Home Office for immigration enforcement, new figures present.
One girl who was overwhelmed by her accomplice was then herself arrested by police.
There are fears the strategy is stopping weak individualstogether with rape victimsreporting crimes, enjoying into the fingers of traffickers.
The Home Office stated it will help weak migrants "regardless of their immigration standing".
"Victims of crime have to be handled before everything as victims," a spokesperson stated.
"When people are discovered to don't have any foundation within the UK, we rigorously think about the main points of the case earlier than taking an enforcement motion."
Police power replies
The BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme requested 45 UK police forces, by way of a Freedom of Information request, in the event that they referred victims and witnesses of crime to the Home Office for immigration enforcement.
Twenty-seven stated they did. Some gave a straight "sure", others had caveats corresponding to "not routinely" or "it is uncommon".
Threetogether with Police Scotlandstated they didn't, and the remainder have been unclear, didn't reply or stated they'd no knowledge.
Sara's story
"Sara" got here to the UK together with her accomplicea British citizen. But she says she was handled like a slave.
"He informed me, 'That's why I introduced you right here, so you possibly can cook dinner and clear for me,'" she explains.
"He beat me with a belt and a cable."
She was introduced into the UK illegally, so she couldn't go to the police in case she was arrested"a frequent characteristic in all home violence and trafficking circumstances", based on Sara's lawyer Sulaiha Ali, of Duncan Lewis Solicitors.
Eventually, Sara tried to flee.
She ran out on to the road, when her accomplice chased after her and beat her in entrance of a member of the general public, who then referred to as the police.
They arrested the perpetrator and took Sara to hospital as a result of of the severity of her accidents.
She was then taken to a hostel, the place she was later arrested and despatched to Yarl's Wood immigration removing centre to be deported.
Ms Ali thinks Sara ought to by no means have been arrested in any respect.
"It's stunning to know that victims of crime are being seen and handled as criminals simply because of their standing."
Ms Ali has now stopped Sara's deportation order, and Sara has utilized for asylum within the UK.
But Ms Ali says she's doing "fairly dangerous", and has not been given the help "she is entitled to" as a victim, as a result of "the main target has been utterly on her immigration standing".
Pragna Patel from Southall Black Sisterswhich campaigns on the problemsays she is extraordinarily apprehensive that referring victims of crime for immigration enforcement is "in battle with the federal government's acknowledged purpose to guard all ladies from violence".
"Since 2014, we have seen a regular rise in circumstances the place the police have arrested ladies or reported ladies to the Home Office as potential illegals fairly than take care of their studies of violence and rape."
She fears weak ladies will likely be deterred from talking out concerning the violence and abuse they've suffered as a result of they're frightened of being arrested, detained and deported.
Green Party chief Caroline Lucas informed the Victoria Derbyshire programme she has heard of rape victims "being afraid to return ahead to report that rape, which signifies that the perpetrator remains to be at giant".
She referred to as for a "firewall"a blocking of info between police operations and immigration officersso the 2 don't turn out to be blended up, and justice isn't "jeopardised".
'Low-hanging fruit'
Last November, a case was uncovered by which a girl reported to the police that she had been kidnapped and raped over a six-month interval.
She was taken to a s3xual assault centre by police, however then she was arrested.
Guidance from the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) issued in December says that "speedy arrest is not going to be made" of victims of crime, regarding their immigration standing, except there may be "an speedy danger of hurt to a particular particular person".
Only three police forces stated they have been following this steerage.
Former Ch Supt Dal Babu has referred to as for extra particular rules for officers to comply with.
He stated victims of crime "have been low-hanging fruit" amid the federal government's hostile atmosphere coverage, which included immigration removing targets.
"These are weak individuals... so it is a lot simpler when a girl comes ahead who has been raped to then say, 'We're investigating this', and go and arrest [her] and [she'll] be despatched to a detention centre."
The NPCC stated it was "unequivocal that victims of crime needs to be handled as victims before everything.
"Each case is taken into account very rigorously however there will likely be cases the place police must trade info with the Home Office."