LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – Private contractors managing immigration detention centres in the United Kingdom are employing excessive and disproportionate force, fostering a toxic culture that undermines the dignity of vulnerable detainees, a new report has found. The investigation, published on Tuesday, 26 November 2025, by the Independent Monitoring Boards (IMB), a statutory body that oversees conditions in prisons and detention centres, describes the findings as “deeply concerning.”

The report, titled “By Force of Habit: How the Use of Force in Immigration Detention Has Lost Sight of Necessity and Dignity,” concludes that restraint is being applied “inconsistently, disproportionately, and without adequate justification.” This has severe implications for the welfare of detainees, many of whom have experienced trauma, torture, or trafficking. The IMB found no evidence of a trauma-informed approach in the application of force.

Elisabeth Davies, the IMB's national chair, stated that the use of force often appears to be for “operational convenience” rather than genuine necessity. She confirmed having written to the UK Home Office multiple times to raise alarms over the high levels of handcuffing and the consistent lack of clear justification. The report highlights routine handcuffing during hospital transfers as a default practice, citing the case of a frail 70-year-old man who was restrained despite risk assessments showing it was unnecessary. The IMB labels the policy of requiring handcuffs for hospital visits as “a form of coercion.”

Disturbing Incidents and Systemic Failures

The report details several alarming examples of excessive restraint. In one case, a man on constant suicide watch who was resisting removal had his trousers removed and was carried, naked from the waist down, onto a plane. Staff then took turns pushing his head against his seat, an act the IMB said had a “profound” negative impact on his dignity. The investigation also uncovered a note on a staff whiteboard that read: “Thought of the Day: Handle Stressful situations like a dog. If you can’t eat it or hump it, piss on it or walk away,” which Davies confirmed was not hidden.

These findings come as the UK government plans to expand its immigration detention capacity to facilitate more deportations. The UK's immigration detention system is largely managed by private firms and has been a subject of criticism for years. Unlike many other European countries, the UK has no statutory time limit on adult immigration detention, a policy that campaigners argue contributes to the distress and mental health deterioration of detainees. As of 30 June 2024, around 1,800 individuals were held in UK immigration detention.

Implications for Kenya and East Africa

While the IMB report does not provide a nationality breakdown of the detainees affected, the findings are significant for Kenya and the wider East African region. The UK’s evolving immigration policies have direct consequences for citizens from the region. Recent policy shifts have aimed at tightening visa rules and fast-tracking the deportation of foreign nationals who commit criminal offences. In August 2025, Kenya was added to a list of countries for immediate deportation of convicted criminals.

Furthermore, proposed changes to UK visa rules, including the potential termination of the care worker visa, could impact many Kenyans seeking employment in the UK's health sector. A 2021 bilateral agreement facilitated the migration of Kenyan care workers to the UK. These broader policy changes, coupled with the deeply troubling conditions highlighted in the IMB report, create a precarious environment for any East African nationals who may find themselves within the UK's immigration detention system.

Human rights organisations have long warned that the UK's detention system is “endemic” with problems and that indefinite detention inevitably leads to the “proliferating use of force on distressed people.” The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has also criticised recent UK legislation for eroding the legal framework designed to protect refugees, exposing them to grave risks in breach of international law. The Home Office has stated its commitment to the health and welfare of detainees and has processes to review detention, but the IMB's findings suggest a significant gap between policy and practice. The report calls for “meaningful cultural change and robust accountability” to protect the rights of highly vulnerable people in detention.