Like US, UK plans for mass deportation

The United Kingdom Labour-led Government has vowed to continue its clampdown on irregular migration, saying the rules need to be respected and enforced.

The Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, in an interview on GBN station and on the Home Office website, said 19,000 irregular migrants inherited from the Conservative government have been deported since Labour took over.

“To rebuild public confidence in the immigration system, we need to show that the rules are respected and enforced. That’s why, as part of the government’s plan for change, we have put significant additional resources into immigration enforcement and returns, so those who have no right to be here, particularly those who have committed crimes in our country, are removed as swiftly as possible,” she said.

The Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, in a tweet on his X handle on Monday, said: “Too many people are able to come to the UK and work. We are putting an end to it.”

In the months ahead, the Home Secretary said the government would introduce new counter terror-style powers to identify, disrupt and smash people smuggling gangs, as part of new, robust legislation to protect the UK border security, which has second scaled reading in the House of Commons on Monday.

The government on its website confirmed that “Nearly 19,000 failed asylum seekers, foreign criminals and other immigration offenders have been returned since the election to countries across Africa, Asia, Europe and South America, following a major escalation in immigration enforcement by the Home Office.”

According to the Home Office, these figures represent the highest rate of returns seen in the UK since 2018 and include the four biggest returns charter flights in the UK’s history, with a total of more than 850 people on board.

It stated that by redeploying 1,000 staff to work on immigration enforcement and sending a clear signal “that those coming here illegally will be returned swiftly,” it added that between July 5, 2024, and January 31, 2025, enforced returns are up by 24 percent, removals of foreign national offenders up by 21 percent and illegal working raids up by 38 percent compared to the same period 12 months prior.

The Home office on Monday had for the first time shared images of the crackdown on nail bars, car washes and restaurants, leading to arrest of thousands of illegal workers, which it said showed the inner workings of the removal process and “provide further understanding of this important work.”

Throughout January alone, the Home Office said Immigration Enforcement teams descended on 828 premises, including nail bars, convenience stores, restaurants and car washes, marking a 48 percent rise compared to the previous January. Arrests also surged to 609, demonstrating a 73 percent increase from just 352 the previous year.

During the same period, the Home Office said it issued a total of 1,090 civil penalty notices, noting that employers could face a fine of up to £60,000 per worker if found liable.

“In many cases, those who come to the UK and end up working illegally are sold false promises about their ability to live and work in the UK, creating a dangerous draw for people to risk their lives by crossing the channel on a small boat,” the Home Office said.

In the months ahead, the Home Secretary said the government would go further than ever by introducing new counter terror-style powers to identify, disrupt and smash people smuggling gangs as part of new, robust legislation to protect UK borders.

She said: “The Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill will grant law enforcement additional powers to take earlier and more effective action against organised crime gangs, including seizing mobile phones from people who come to the UK illegally before the point of arrest.

“Next month, the government will go further by hosting a landmark Border Security Summit at the historic Lancaster House in London.

A watershed moment in the UK’s fight against organised immigration crime, the summit will bring together delegates from over 40 countries, as well as guest participants from a range of international institutions, including the European Union.

“The summit will be held on Monday, March 31 and Tuesday, April 1, and will facilitate a range of discussions on the best ways to tackle criminal networks facilitating organised immigration crime and migrant smuggling.”

Some analysts, however, believe that the Labour-led government’s recent action was to show that they could be tough and deliver on the promises made in the wake of the election.

They also noted that the government, no doubt, would soon get criticism from the human rights groups, who may be demanding more transparency on the destination of the deportees.

Recall that last week, Kemi Badenoch, the Tory leader, said she would push for changes to the government’s immigration bill to double the length of time it takes to qualify for settled status, as part of her party’s latest promise to crack down on immigration.

She has said foreign workers would have to live in the UK for 10 years without claiming any kind of benefit before being allowed indefinite leave to remain under plans announced by the Conservatives on Wednesday.

Under current rules, workers and refugees, who have been in the UK for five years, can apply for indefinite leave to remain, which allows them to stay in the country but does not grant full citizenship.

Some Nigerians who came into the UK legally either for study or skilled work most especially on the health care path have had their share of migration hurdles.

According to some immigration experts, some Nigerian students after graduation ought to apply for postgraduate study, which gives two years for those on first degree and masters and three years for PhD holders.

“But what you see is that, maybe because of the cost, they will wait until the last minute, and by then, the Home Office would write them informing them that they have either 60 or shorter periods left to reside in the country,” the expert said.

On the other hand, some of those who came on sponsored visas often got to the UK without employers providing jobs for them. This has made the Home Office withdraw their employers certificates and those Nigerians have equally found themselves at the mercy of the Home Office with eviction threats.

However, the expert said some were able to scale the hurdles through legal support or by switching to other sponsors.