Oxfordshire: Immigrants given legal papers only in English

The report of prisons in 2025 was released this month, assessing adult prisons, young offender institutions, and immigration detention centres.

Campsfield House IRC reopened in December 2025, following its closure in 2018.

This was despite Independent Monitoring Boards concerns about the expansion of the immigration detention estate – most people are released from detention, and less costly and harmful alternatives exist.

The facility near Kiddlington currently has 160 bed spaces for detained men, and the government is planning to increase this to 400, with a further 240 beds.

The report revealed that when the centre reopened in December individuals were served legal documents in English only.

Information displayed around the centre was only available in English.

The report said: “Despite the possibility of oral interpretation, the absence of written translations was also identified as a challenge, as individuals were served legal documents in English only.

“When Campsfield IRC first opened, information displayed around the centre was only available in English and, despite improvements, the provision of translated information remains inconsistent.”

People regularly protest at the centre (Image: Ed Nix)

Access to garden areas was also identified as beneficial at the newly reopened Campsfield IRC. In contrast, some STHF Boards flagged the lack of access to natural light or fresh air, including in cases where individuals were held for more than 24 hours.

The immigration removal centre is managed by Mitie Care & Custody on behalf of the Home Office

The company was awarded a six-year contract last July with the Home Office to run the centre.

A Mitie spokesperson said : ‘We are committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of those in our care. We provide information in multiple languages, supported by professional translation and interpretation services.

“We continue to develop our approach, including offering materials in additional languages and the use of accessible formats such as pictures, to ensure information is as clear and inclusive as possible.’

Previously known as Campsfield House, the centre was closed in 2018 following years of controversy, during which around 3,600 people passed through the centre, with an average stay of 39 days.

The Home Office closed it as part of a broader government commitment to reduce the UK’s immigration detention estate by 40%.

The site has seen repeated protests in the past year, with campaigners for its closure saying it “rips apart families and destroys lives” and alleging detainee “slave labour”.

The annual report also found force and separation were routinely used without need, many individuals experienced significant distress, many detention centres remained unsafe, and access to healthcare was severely delayed.