ASYLUM seekers in Glasgow face the threat of more dawn raids by immigration officers.

ASYLUM seekers in Glasgow face the threat of more dawn raids by immigration officers.

Phil Taylor, who runs immigration services in Scotland, issued the warning despite a political backlash.

The immigration chief said he would "love to do away" with the policy.

But he said dawn raids to seize and deport failed asylum seekers would continue until a more effective measure was found.

But Mr Taylor insisted every effort would be made to help illegal immigrants return to their home land voluntary.

Glasgow has one of the highest concentration of asylum seekers in Scotland.

The Immigration and Nationality Directorate has 60 officers working north of the border and most are based in the city.

There has been outrage from the public and politicians over the detention of some families and individuals who have been seized, including young children in their beds.

However, immigration chiefs made an attempt to encourage people who had exhausted the appeals system to volunteer for deportation. The plea was made to 140 people but just one turned up.

Mr Taylor is also restructuring the service which he says could take 18 months.

Last year Home Secretary John Reid declared the immigration service "not fit for purpose".