UK apologises for mistakenly threatening EU citizens with deportation

The United Kingdom government issued an apology on the 23 August 2017 to some 100 EU citizens who mistakenly received deportation threats from the Home Office. The letters informed the recipients that they had one month to leave or be forcibly removed from the country.

In the apology the Home Office said the rights of EU nationals in the UK 'remain unchanged'. Prime Minister Theresa May called it an 'unfortunate mistake'.

Yvette Cooper, the Labour Party Chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee, said the error was disgraceful and would have caused anxiety and distress for the families affected.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Policy Paper: Joint technical note on the comparison of EU-UK positions on citizens' rights (July 2017) http://www.europeansources.info/record/policy-paper-joint-technical-note-on-the-comparison-of-eu-uk-positions-on-citizens-rights/

ESO: Background information: Brexit: what impact on those currently exercising free movement rights? http://www.europeansources.info/record/brexit-what-impact-on-those-currently-exercising-free-movement-rights/

ESO: In Focus: Brexit - The United Kingdom and the European Union http://www.europeansources.info/record/brexit-the-united-kingdom-and-the-european-union/

ESO: Background information: EU Citizens’ rights and Brexit (EU, 2017) http://www.europeansources.info/record/eu-citizens-rights-and-brexit/

ESO: Background information: Home Office rule change adds to febrile atmosphere for EU nationals in Britain http://www.europeansources.info/record/home-office-rule-change-adds-to-febrile-atmosphere-for-eu-nationals-in-britain/

BBC News, 23.08.17: EU citizen detention letters sent in error http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-41027671

The Guardian, 23.08.17: Sending EU nationals deportation letters an 'unfortunate error', says May https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/aug/23/home-office-apologises-for-letters-threatening-to-deport-eu-nationals

Politico, 23.08.17: Theresa May says deportation letters sent in error http://www.politico.eu/article/theresa-may-says-deportation-letters-sent-in-error/

VoxEurop, 31.08.17: EU & the UK differ on citizen’s rights http://www.voxeurop.eu/en/2017/brexit-negotiations-5121316

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