More than 30 British children stand to lose their fathers on a scheduled deportation flight to Jamaica, according to campaign group Movement for Justice. 

The group says: “This risk to life and destructive behaviour is part and parcel of the racist hostile environment policies designed to drive people to despair.”

Huffpost reports that the flight is scheduled to take place on December 2nd at the end of lockdown. 

Detention Action says that at least 16 men have been detained at Colnbrook and Brook House immigration centres with removal directions.

Detainees will not be able to say goodbye to their families due to COVID restrictions, according to Movement for Justice.

Antonia Bright, who chairs the group said: “I have spoken to men too afraid to tell their loved ones they face being put on this flight because they fear the devastation to their children.

“One man who is afraid of telling his mother because she is undergoing cancer treatment.”

The men scheduled to be deported have been described as Foreign National Offenders by the Home Office. 

Currently, if you are convicted of a criminal offence and sentenced to over 12 months in prison, you can be deported if you are not a British citizen.

However, Movement for Justice points out that the majority of those that it is in contact with are being deported due to drug offences.

The group points out that this fact cannot be divorced from the over-policing of the Black community in Britain.

If the flight happens, it will be the second charter to Jamaica this year.

A request for comment has been sent to the Home Office