High Court rules migrant phone seizures by UK Government illegal
16/02/2026 | Daily Mail
More than 70 migrants who arrived in the UK via small boats have received or are eligible for taxpayer-funded compensation following a High Court ruling against the Home Office. The court found that the government acted unlawfully by seizing mobile phones and SIM cards from asylum seekers upon their arrival in Britain in 2020. In many instances, data was fully downloaded, and devices were held for months or were never returned, in breach of the European Convention on Human Rights.
To date, 32 individuals have been awarded payouts totalling £210,800, averaging over £6,500 each, while 41 cases remain unresolved. However, with over 1,300 migrants potentially eligible to seek damages, there are concerns that the total compensation bill could eventually reach £8 million.
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