For the Home Office it is an excellent opportunity to detain and deport people seeking asylum: offices of MPs and Ministers are closed, legal support is difficult to access, campaigners take a few days off and lots of people have other things on their mind.
South Yorkshire Migration and Asylum Action Group (SYMAAG) has called an emergency protest against the wave of Christmas detentions and deportations in South Yorkshire.
Saturday December 22nd 1pm Town Hall, Sheffield
SYMAAG activist Michael Ediele from Cameroon is locked up at Colnbrook Detention Centre and, Barnsley volunteer community worker, Jane Gee from Nigeria is being held at Yarls Wood detention centre. Michael is due to be deported at 6.55am on Thursday 27th December by a British Airways flight. Both fear for their lives if they are "removed".
They are not the only people to be threatened with deportation this Christmas, but we ask for your support for them.
More information about both Michael and Jane contact: dignitynotdetention@yahoo.co.uk