We are calling to stop the deportation of twins, Darrell and Darren Roberts, who were born in London and have never left the UK. They face deportation to different countries in the Caribbean where they have no close relatives.

The brothers were taken into the care of social services when they were 13 after the deaths of their primary caregivers, their mother and uncle. The twins’ siblings have said they believe Ealing social services, in west London, were negligent for failing to organise citizenship when they were children.

Darrell was convicted of grievous bodily harm as a minor, whilst he was being looked after by the care system. His lawyer describes him as vulnerable because of his young age on conviction and his traumatic childhood.

Towards the end of a six-year-sentence he has been served with a deportation notice. Darrell received a deportation notice stating “Our records show you have no legal status in the United Kingdom.” The home secretary has deemed “deportation to be conducive to the public good and accordingly it is in the public interest that you be removed from the United Kingdom without delay”. Darrell Roberts was also offered a grant to allow him to “return home” under the facilitated return scheme, with a reintegration package worth £1,500 if he agrees to repatriation.

The Guardian reported that "The Home Office automatically issues a deportation notice to anyone without citizenship who has been convicted of a reasonably serious offence with a custodial sentence of more than 12 months. British citizenship has a good character requirement, which will not be met if an applicant has been sentenced to a long prison term, even if they were UK-born. There are no figures for the number of people born in this country who are deported annually."

We are calling for Priti Patel and Boris Johnson to stop the deportation of these British-born citizens. To deport them because they are serving sentences for crimes is grossly unfair.