A WOMAN who was wrongly facing deportation has been released from detention after her case was taken up by her MP.

Isabella Katjiparatijiyi had a judicial review against her asylum application refusal when she was detained by Home Office immigration officials and deportation proceedings started.

She had been held in Dungavel detention Centre for two weeks before an intervention by Chris Stephens, Glasgow South West SNP MP, in the House of commons led to her release.

Ms Katjiparatijiyi is seeking asylum from her home country, Namibia, where she says she was suffering persecution.

She was told by the Home office earlier this month her claim was unsuccessful. Her solicitors immediately began proceedings for a judicial review of the decision, which should have given her three months to do so.

However, at her next reporting visit she was detained and taken to Dungavel.

Despite her lawyers contacting the Home Office she was still held and had a notice of removal served on January 8.

Despite a court Interlocutor lodged calling for the woman to be released she was still held and the Home Office said there was an issue with the order and removal instruction issued the next day.

Earlier this week Mr Stephens raised the matter with Home Office Minister Caroline Nokes who agreed to meet him to discuss the case.

Ms Katjiparatijiyi was then released the following day.

Mr Stephens said the case shows the UK Government’s hostile environment to asylum seekers.

He said: “Isabella should have had three months to make new representations to the home office for a legal review, but before this could happen she was detained and issued with a removal order.”

“I will be meeting with the minister and asking her to address the mismanagement by the Home Office in this case and ask why someone who is a very low risk of absconding who adhered to her reporting condition had been detained during her Judicial Review”

The MP said he will be following her case closely.

He added “I am delighted that I was able to intervene and help get Ms Katjiparatijiyi’s removal halted. I will continue to support her over the coming months as she seeks to leave to remain in the United Kingdom.”