UK plans to return more illegal migrants. The plans are part of a broader strategy that includes the deployment of 100 new intelligence officers to target people-smuggling gangs and the reopening of two immigration removal centres in Hampshire and Oxfordshire, providing an additional 290 beds…reports Asian Lite News
The British government has unveiled plans for a substantial increase in return flights for failed asylum seekers and those without legal right to remain in the country, signalling a renewed focus on immigration control.
Home Office ministers have promised a “large surge” in efforts to deport individuals who have exhausted their legal avenues in the UK, BBC reported.
These plans are part of a broader strategy that includes the deployment of 100 new intelligence officers to target people-smuggling gangs and the reopening of two immigration removal centres in Hampshire and Oxfordshire, providing an additional 290 beds.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper emphasised the need for a better-controlled system, arguing that the immigration process has been plagued by disarray for too long.
“We need to introduce a better-controlled system to replace the chaos that has blighted the system for far too long,” Cooper said.
This sentiment is at the heart of Labour’s new approach to immigration, focusing on more organized and efficient removals. Labour has set an ambitious goal to achieve the highest rate of deportations since Theresa May’s tenure as Prime Minister in 2018.
While Labour’s plan represents a shift in the government’s approach, it has been met with scepticism from Conservative politicians. They argue that the new government is not doing enough to address the root causes of illegal immigration.
Shadow Home Secretary James Cleverly criticised the plan as lacking ambition. “While we welcome the additional resources for the National Crime Agency and increased detention capacity, Labour’s approach does not go far enough,” Cleverly said.
He accused the government of failing to implement robust deterrents, such as the Rwanda scheme, which was intended to discourage Channel crossings by deporting some migrants to Rwanda, and lambasted the decision to scrap it as a “gimmick.”
Despite the criticism, Labour has moved forward with its policy agenda. Home Office Minister Seema Malhotra reported that nine return flights had taken place in the six weeks since Labour came to power, including one flight carrying over 200 people
This uptick in deportations aligns with Labour’s aim to reach the 2018 removal levels, which would require 3,000 more deportations this year than last year.
Meanwhile, the government is grappling with a surge in the number of people crossing the Channel in small boats. Over 19,000 people have made the dangerous crossing this year, a 10% increase from last year, though still down from the peak of over 21,000 during the same period in 2022.
In response, Labour has announced plans to disrupt criminal smuggling gangs and prevent these dangerous crossings.
To that end, 100 new specialist intelligence officers and investigators will be added to the National Crime Agency (NCA), which is currently conducting around 70 active investigations into smuggling and trafficking rings.
The new personnel will focus on dismantling the networks supplying boats and other equipment to those attempting the journey.
Other government measures include increasing the capacity of immigration detention centres, with the reopening of Campsfield and Haslar sites in Oxfordshire and Hampshire. These facilities are expected to add crucial space for detainees awaiting deportation.
However, the reopening of the Haslar site, near Portsmouth, has raised some concerns. The facility was closed in 2015 after being criticised as both costly and harmful to detainees’ well-being.
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