DESCENDANTS of islanders who were exiled from their home 50 years ago are now being threatened with deportation.

A community of Chagos Islanders, who were kicked off their Indian Ocean by the British Government in the 1960s and 1970s, has lived in Sussex for many years.

About 3,000 are thought to live in and around Crawley, where they have resided since their homeland of Diego Garcia was cleared to make for an American military base.

Originally the Chagossians were forcefully sent to neighbouring Mauritius.

But many moved to the UK, as they had British citizenship due to the Chagos Islands being a British colony.

Now the grandchildren of these Chagossians are facing deportation due to a loophole in British law.

Last week, 22-year-old Christopher, not his real name, was arrested by the Home Office and is currently being held in Brook House Immigration Removal Centre.

But because Christopher was not born in the UK, despite his mother having British citizenship, he could now be deported to Mauritius.

He has lived in Crawley for seven years with his family.

Stefan Donnelly, vice-chairman of the UK Chagos Support Association, said it is unfair Christopher is facing deportation despite the “tragic” history of the Chagossians.

He said: “It’s so obviously and deeply unfair that a young Chagossian’s life is being ruined because previous governments ruined the lives of his grandfather’s generation.

“This is another tragic example of why immigration law needs urgent reform to account for the unique history of Chagossians. “

Chagos Football Association chief Sabrina Jean said the detention of Christopher, who plays for the Chagos football team, reminds her of the oppression the islanders faced in the 1960s.

She said: “The Home Office must stop detaining and deporting Chagossians immediately because we are all British citizens.

“Where will they deport us to?

“We are being punished for our campaign to return to our homeland, which is our human right.

“They have already taken away our home and given it to the United States.”

In May the United Nations voted overwhelmingly for the UK and USA to withdraw from the Chagos Islands.

But both governments have refused to budge on the issue, leading to protests from the Chagossian community.

A Home Office spokeswoman said: “Grandchildren of resettled Chagossians do not have a claim to British citizenship.”