Felix Wamala, the gay Ugandan that the Borders Agency tried to deport on on Christmas Eve and again on the 2nd of January, now faces deportation on the 4th of May. Felix, who has been languishing at Colnbrook detention centre since that date, has been told he will be deported with no right of appeal following a judicial review held in his absence without his knowledge.
As with the last effort to get him out of the country, the Border Agency has chosen a bank holiday weekend when the press will be looking the other way.
But there are further signs that Felix has been strait-jacketed in terms of his appeal. First, he cannot challenge the Judicial Review of the 22nd of March because he has not been provided with the deportation order on paper that he needs to appeal against. Second, a 14 year rule application that he made on the grounds that he has lived here for over 14 years, and which he sent to the Home Office with the correct funds was returned month ago with the funds returned. It was then refused on the grounds that he had not provided “sufficient funds” to secure the application!
Allegations that he was beaten by security during the last botched attempt to fly him out of the country have been ignored and the Borders Agency’s only aim seems to be to get him out of the country as quickly as possible. Stephen Timms is representing him as an MP and he has also had support from John McDonnel MP. But this will not save him. If you want to help stop the deportation, write to Theresa May, contact the Borders Agency to voice your disapproval and tell Virgin Airways, whose flight VS671 he is to be removed on for the first part of his ‘journey’ http://v-flyer.com/the-toolbox/which-aircraft?flight=VS671 that you know they are carrying a deportee against his will.