More than 1,800 immigrants jailed

MORE than 1,800 people were locked up in Irish prisons under immigration laws last year, including almost 400 who spent as much time in detention as the two Waterford men in the US.

The number detained under immigration laws represents 20% of the number committed to prison in 2003.

The Irish branch of Amnesty International has criticised the policy of imprisoning those awaiting deportation. Fiona Crowley of Amnesty Ireland said those immigrants have not been convicted of any crime.

The Irish Prison Service report for 2003 reveals 367 people were kept in prison for more than 50 days. A large number, 1,140, were in jail for less than three days. Many of those were non-EU nationals refused entry to the State who are held overnight before being sent back home on the next available flight. Of the 9,814 committed to prison, 2,520 were non-nationals.