Asylum seekers held in prison for months before deportation

ASYLUM seekers have been kept in prison for up to eight months while awaiting deportation, despite having committed no crime.

The Department of Justice said the average time spent in jail by deportees works out at 33 days per person. None have committed any offence and all could instead have been asked to present at the headquarters of the Garda National Immigration Bureau.

A total of 130 asylum seekers have spent between one day and eight months behind bars since the beginning of last year, the department said.

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