THE HOME Office was accused today of failing to protect trafficking and torture survivors under its “one in, one out” scheme, as a medical charity said the government was ready to deport people “come what may.”

Medical Justice, which sends independent clinicians into immigration detention centres, revealed that “clinical safeguards in detention are failing to protect these people.”

A survey by the charity of 33 detainees who are waiting for the Home Office to deport them to France found the protection system in these centres is “a futile exercise” with “near total disregard for identified vulnerabilities.”

Medical Justice also called for the “one in, one out” scheme with France to be scrapped entirely and for asylum-seekers to have their claims processed on UK soil.

Respondents said they faced severe violence, intimidation and death threats from border force and police, as well as organised gangs and people smugglers.

“For many people, detention in the UK — not past trauma — was described as the moment when they lost hope. From a clinical perspective this is dangerous,” the report read.

One man’s testimony included descriptions of excessive force and violence when he was restrained during a removal attempt.

A Medical Justice clinician documented evidence of the man’s physical injuries and psychological harm after he was returned to detention.

His testimony read: “After a few minutes, I became dizzy, and my voice became weak and my strength was limited to just tears.

“They saw me struggling for air and honestly, my eyes were turning white and my breathing was difficult.

“I said in a low voice, ‘I can’t breathe’, and I thought to myself: ‘Oh my God’.”

A charity spokesperson said there was an “especially high proportion of trafficking and torture survivors” among detainees, explaining that these people are at “higher risk of harm in detention.”

They added that their mistreatment was notable because of detainees’ “alarmingly high levels of suicidality and the fact that almost all of them experienced dysfunction of the clinical safeguarding system.

“We fear the government wants to remove these people come what may.”

A Home Office spokesperson said: “Protecting the UK border is our top priority. Our landmark one in, one out scheme means we can send those who arrive on small boats straight back to France — a safe country in which any protection claims can be, and are being, considered.

“The welfare of people detained is of the utmost importance and we are committed to ensuring that detention and removal are carried out with dignity.”