Pierre Makhlouf, BID’s Head of policy and Strategic Litigation steps down after 19 years

Pierre Makhlouf’s 19 years at BID have been defined by his unwavering commitment to challenging immigration detention and advancing justice through policy and strategic litigation.  

As Head of Policy and Strategic Litigation, Pierre has played a central role in shaping BID’s work, using the law as a tool to secure people’s release from detention and expose the realities of the system in the UK. 

We sat down with him to mark the end of an era by reflecting on his time at BID.

When did you start at BID, and what was it like then? 

I started working at BID in September 2007. At that point, BID had been going for about eight years, and the founders would often say they never imagined it would last so long. The organisation was very small. There was a family team because children and families were being detained, and there was also the Right to Liberty project. 

Over time, the policy side also developed, including work focused specifically on families and children.  

We began to work alongside organisations such as Children’s Society and in some cases political parties which contributed to persuading the Liberal Democrats to commit to ending child detention and getting the Conservatives to say they would review it. That eventually led to the abolition of child detention under the coalition government. 

Around 2010, we were also involved in key legal cases that challenged unlawful detention and reinforced important safeguards. 

How has immigration detention changed over your time here? 

In my time at BID, detention has gone from being rare and short-term to widespread and prolonged with increasing acceptance of the harm it causes.  

When I started working in immigration law, detention was very limited, with about 80 to 85 places. It was seen as short term, and people who claimed asylum on arrival were generally released. Although facilities were basic and chaotic, they were relatively open. 

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, things changed significantly. New detention centres were built that resembled high-security prisons, and policy became much harsher due to political pressure and media hostility. 

By the time I joined BID in 2007, long-term detention was common. Some people were detained for extremely long periods, even up to nine years. 

More recently, particularly following the hostile environment, Brexit and the increase in harmful and false immigration rhetoric, detention is expanding again.  

What has stayed consistent? 

Little has remained consistent aside from the misunderstanding, scapegoating and fear of migrants, both among the public and among politicians. That has led to a continued focus on deterrence, with increasingly harsh measures being introduced.  

Pierre at BID in 2009.

What are you most proud of from your years at BID? 

Seeing the ending of detention of children was one of the most significant and meaningful achievements. It marked a fundamental shift in both policy and public understanding. Being part of that process, from campaigning through to seeing it implemented, was something deeply impactful. 

Being involved in legal interventions that defended key legal principles governing detention was another major source of pride. At critical moments, those interventions helped reassert principles that protect some of the most marginalised people, making a lasting contribution to the legal framework around detention. 

What are your hopes for BID’s future? 

My hope for its future is that it closes, that it ceases to function, because there will be no more immigration detention and no more deportation. 

More realistically, I would like to see automatic entitlement to bail for anyone who is detained, and a real improvement in the quality of legal representation for everyone. I would also want BID to continue to be listened to, by the courts and by the press, as a voice of reason and common sense. 

And to the young people who are the future of our fight against immigration detention I would say, do everything as well as you possibly can. Don’t become stale. Keep questioning yourself, keep developing, keep pushing forward. There needs to be a constant process of renewal in how you think and how you work. 

Director Charlotte Buckley said: 

"I have deeply valued Pierre’s long-term presence at BID, and his part in guiding and strengthening the charity through periods of change, challenge and growth. 

Pierre has shared his knowledge, expertise and commitment to BID's mission with remarkable generosity, both within the BID and across the wider sector, where he is respected for his insight and integrity.  He has worked tirelessly to ensure that BID continues to thrive and remains well placed to meet the challenges ahead, while staying true to our purpose and values. 

As Pierre begins this next chapter, we want to express our deepest gratitude for everything he has given to BID. His legacy can be seen in the strength of the organisation he has helped to nurture and grow, and the many people whose lives have been touched by his work. 

On behalf of everyone at BID, thank you, Pierre, for your wisdom, kindness and dedication over so many years."

Suhan Rajkumar Chair of Trustees said: 

“Pierre's contribution to BID has been exceptional, and we will miss him hugely. Under his leadership, our legal services have grown and developed, making a lasting difference to thousands of lives.  Beyond leading our casework for many years, through his strategic approach of leading landmark interventions in the courts and tribunals, he has helped secure important advances in accountability for unlawful detention, and access to justice for immigration detainees. His expertise, integrity and unwavering commitment to human rights have left a lasting legacy at BID and across the sector. We thank him for his service and wish him all the best for the future.” 

Over the past 12 months, we have worked closely with staff, trustees and our advisory group of people with lived experience of immigration detention to co-create an ambitious vision and strategy for the next five years. 

As BID enters this exciting new chapter, we are looking ahead with confidence and optimism. As part of our plans for the future, we will be recruiting a successor to Pierre, building on the strong foundations he has helped create and ensuring BID continues to  maximise its impact. 

In the meantime, we are delighted that Saria Hassan has stepped into the role on an interim basis. Saria can be contacted at [email protected].