* Audio Report From GNIB Burgh Quay *

Ireland has been pursuing a policy of expedited deportations of immigrant families for the last couple of years. Amid a rising tide of racism fueled by the rhetoric of prominent politicians (who refer to Turkish workers as "kebabs") there are deep concerns that the human rights of vulnerable asylum seekers are being ignored.

Among the families reported to have been snatched for deportation this morning is one which includes a child with an autistic spectrum disorder. An appeal by Denis O Donovan TD from Bantry has secured the assurance of McDowell that this family will not be deported until McDowell has personally reviewed their file. However approximately 35 other asylum seekers with unknown personal situations seized in this sweep have received no such assurances of due diligence. Rosanna Flynn of Residents Against Racism commenting on the current broken system said:

The asylum system continues to be in disarray. McDowell will deport women and young girls who have fled here fleeing Female Genital Mutilation. His response has been to send them back to a country where the World Health Organisation estimates that over 50% of the female population has had the operation performed on them. We need an asylum system that is effective and fair. We need the asylum system taken out of McDowell’s hands completely and handed over to a body such as the Human Rights Commission that will view the asylum system from a human rights angle and not as a system that deports as many people as possible in order to facilitate electoral gain.

All these families have been signing on at Garda stations as required by law. It would appear that the Gardai, through the direction of the Minister for Justice (Michael McDowell) are creating the conditions that will encourage the creation of a completely underground illegal immigrant population. This is an arbitrary, arrogant and ineffective set of policies which reflect a lack of thought about the realities of immigration in the 21st century.

Irish activists are currently undertaking an attempted blockade of GNIB at Burgh Quay to prevent the mass deportation scheduled for approximately 11:30pm tonight. Two people have been reported arrested on our newswire already. If you can get down to the blockade then your presence will be welcomed.