Shock as Home Office raids house on quiet Coventry street ahead of flights to Rwanda

Residents have shared their shock after a house in a Coventry street was stormed by immigration officers who detained migrants slated for deportation to Rwanda. The Home Office conducted a raid on Holmfield Road, Coventry, in the early hours of Monday morning (29/4) at about 5.30am.

Neighbours along this residential road stated that the targeted house was inhabited by two men who "kept a low profile" and were hospital shift workers. They disclosed that the terraced property has been occupied by asylum seekers for nearly a decade, though inhabitants usually only stay for six to nine months at a time.

Local residents noted that the present occupants "kept themselves to themselves" and were seldom observed prior to enforcement officers descending upon the peaceful tree-laden street. One homeowner, preferring to remain unnamed, commented: "We heard movements early Monday morning at 5.30am so the raid must have taken place then.

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"The property itself has been housing for asylum seekers for over ten years. It is a landlord owned property and Serco usually attend for any maintenance issues and things like that."

"There's normally five males living at the property but they only stay for around six to nine months at a time and then move on. The recent lot were just a couple of men, the male detained was in his late 20s/early 30s I would guess.

"They are normally really quiet and keep themselves to themselves - I didn't even know they had been detained to be honest. Personally, we think this is very convenient how the government are fast tracking the scheme with the election fast approaching."

"They're not statistics but human beings."

Another neighbour added: "I've only moved to the area myself very recently and am waiting for my family to come from Romania. I wouldn't know anybody from the house. My neighbours have been very kind but I've never seen anybody coming or going from that house.

"There's lots of people coming in and out at different times as I think they work at the hospital".

A third local, who also did not wish to be named, added: "It's quite shocking to have something like this happen on our quiet street. I didn't know the guys, they kept a low profile - which is understandable I suppose if they were here illegally.

"But they seemed pleasant and friendly enough. I believe they were Muslim but I don't know from what country."

The migrants were taken to immigration removal centres where they will be held ahead of the first flights in nine to 11 weeks. The Home Office said more raids are expected to be carried out in the coming weeks.

Home Secretary James Cleverly said: "Our Rwanda Partnership is a pioneering response to the global challenge of illegal migration, and we have worked tirelessly to introduce new, robust legislation to deliver it.

"Our dedicated enforcement teams are working at pace to swiftly detain those who have no right to be here so we can get flights off the ground.

"This is a complex piece of work, but we remain absolutely committed to operationalising the policy, to stop the boats and break the business model of people smuggling gangs."

The Home Office has confirmed that the flights to Rwanda will start next week. Home Office Director of Enforcement Eddy Montgomery emphasised: "Our specialist operational teams are highly trained and fully equipped to carry out the necessary enforcement activity at pace and in the safest way possible.

"It's imperative that operational detail remains minimal, to safeguard those involved and the individuals being detained, while also ensuring this large-scale operation is executed as swiftly as possible."

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