UK Government Speeds Up Deportation of Foreign Criminals in Major Immigration Crackdown
The deportation of foreign criminals will be accelerated as part of a government-led immigration crackdown aimed at alleviating overcrowding in prisons, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) announced on Sunday. According to GOV.UK, A new specialist team will be deployed to 80 prisons across England and Wales to remove individuals who have no right to remain in the UK. The initiative, part of a £5 million scheme, will be operational from 1 April.
It will assist the Home Office in identifying and processing foreign national offenders (FNOs), deporting them up to 18 months before the end of their prison sentences to serve time in their home countries. Currently, FNOs account for approximately 12 percent of the total prison population.
The policy comes as part of a broader effort by the Labour government to deport illegal migrants, a move that has sparked criticism, with some accusing the party of imitating Nigel Farage’s Reform UK Party. Last month, The Independent revealed that the Home Office was seeking a company to manage the booking and oversight of deportation flights for those without the legal right to remain in the UK.
The government’s crackdown has also drawn backlash over its controversial plans to film immigration raids and publish images of deportation flights in a bid to “show not tell” the public its efforts to curb illegal migration, as per reports The Independent.
Since July last year, 2,580 FNOs have been removed, marking a 23 percent increase compared to the previous 12 months. Additionally, nearly 21,000 individuals have been deported within the same period, the highest rate of removals in over five years, according to the MoJ.
As of 24 February, the prison population in England and Wales had reached 87,199, the highest number since 21 October last year (87,465), when over 1,000 prisoners were released early to ease overcrowding.
In a bid to address long-term prison system challenges, ministers have pledged to create 14,000 additional prison cells by 2031. Prisons Minister Lord James Timpson defended the new measures, stating: “It cannot be right for British taxpayers to foot the bill for jailing foreign criminals who have brought misery to our communities.
“Under this government, removals are up by nearly 20 percent. We’re now taking action to ensure this is done swifter, easing pressure on overcrowded prisons and on the public purse. “This is part of our Plan for Change – fixing the broken prison system we inherited and keeping our streets safe.” With the government pressing ahead with its crackdown, debate continues over the effectiveness and ethics of its immigration policies.