The article reported that the letter told a Romanian national in an immigration detention centre that his request for emergency accommodation has been rejected and that to avoid becoming destitute he should consider returning to Romania or another EU member state.
Before publication, the Home Office asked for a copy of the letter so we could provide a full response, however this request was denied.
Following the publication of the article, which included further details, the Home Office can confirm the letter was sent to a foreign national offender applying for Home Office-funded bail accommodation. That application was refused as the applicant is a serious offender who has been convicted of battery and is subject to removal. The Home Office expects this man to return to his home country.
We are happy to clarify the context to this story and a Home Office comment can be found below.
A Home Office spokesperson said:
This letter was sent to a foreign national offender applying for Home Office-funded bail accommodation. That application was refused. The applicant is a violent offender, subject to removal action, who can and should return to his home country.