Wakefield councillors demand closure of Urban House asylum centre after sexual crime arrests

Police investigations at Urban House, a large asylum processing centre in Wakefield, have led to five arrests for alleged rape and child sexual assault. Reform UK councillors, who now control the council after the recent elections, argue that the facility operates with minimal vetting and that residents feel unsafe, prompting calls for the Home Secretary to close both Urban House and the Cedar Court Hotel asylum site. They criticize the Home Office for imposing the centre on the district without adequate safeguards for children.

In response, West Yorkshire Police have stepped up reassurance patrols, and the Home Office described the allegations as "sickening," stating that any convicted individuals will have their asylum claims rejected and be removed. The council is pressing for urgent national action, warning that the situation could worsen without a change in government policy.