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UK govt begins detention of asylum seekers  

Reacting to the developments, the charity Freedom from Torture condemned the government’s actions, asserting, “This government has lost its last ounce of humanity.”…reports Asian Lite News

British authorities have commenced the detention of asylum seekers as part of the new initiative aimed at deporting them to Rwanda, with initial flights slated for departure as early as July, the government announced.

Home Secretary James Cleverly remarked, “Our dedicated enforcement teams are working at pace to swiftly detain those who have no right to be here so we can get flights off the ground.”

Confirmation of the detainment procedures follows the recent enactment of legislation designating Rwanda as a safe third country, circumventing a prior UK Supreme Court ruling that deemed the scheme unlawful on human rights grounds.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, emphasising his pledge to curb migrant arrivals via small boats from mainland Europe, underscored that detentions would occur promptly ahead of deportation flights scheduled to commence within “10 to 12 weeks.”

Describing it as “another major milestone” in the Rwanda deportation plan, the UK’s Home Office disseminated visual documentation showcasing immigration enforcement officers detaining individuals with handcuffs at various locations.

Reacting to the developments, the charity Freedom from Torture condemned the government’s actions, asserting, “This government has lost its last ounce of humanity.”

A senior minister disclosed that the government anticipates deporting 5,700 individuals this year, following Rwanda’s “in principle” agreement to accept that number. However, authorities have lost contact with thousands of potential deportees, with only 2,143 currently located for detention, leaving over 3,500 unaccounted for.

Ministerial assurances have been provided that enforcement teams will locate these individuals, with commercial charter planes already reserved and an airport placed on standby.

Against the backdrop of more than 7,500 arrivals via small boats from France this year, the government contends that the policy will act as a deterrent against the perilous English Channel crossings.

In light of the Supreme Court ruling issued last November, human rights organizations and unions opposed to the policy are poised to mount fresh legal challenges to halt the deportation flights.

Natasha Tsangarides, associate director of advocacy at Freedom from Torture, underscored the pervasive fear among asylum seekers, warning that the prospect of detention and deportation to Rwanda would compel some to go underground and sever ties with their support networks.

Rwanda, home to 13 million people in Africa’s Great Lakes region, is lauded for its stability and modern infrastructure. However, rights groups accuse President Paul Kagame of governing in an atmosphere of repression, characterized by curbs on dissent and free speech.

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Irish govt wants to send asylum seekers back to UK

McEntee is set to discuss the prospective returns policy during her meeting with British Home Secretary James Cleverly in London on Monday…reports Asian Lite News

The Republic of Ireland is considering legislative changes to enable the return of asylum seekers to the United Kingdom. This move comes following a surge in arrivals over the border with Northern Ireland, which falls under UK jurisdiction.

Minister of Justice Helen McEntee, slated to visit London on Monday, informed a parliamentary committee that an estimated 80 per cent of asylum applications in Ireland originate from individuals crossing the Northern Ireland border.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak commented on the situation, noting that the influx underscores the efficacy of London’s plan to redirect asylum seekers to Rwanda, serving as a deterrent. He stated to Sky News, “What it shows, I think, is that the deterrent is … already having an impact because people are worried about coming here.”

Responding to Sunak’s remarks, a spokesperson for Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris said the leader “does not comment on the migration policies of any other country but he is very clear about the importance of protecting the integrity of the migration system in Ireland.”

“Ireland has a rules-based system that must always be applied firmly and fairly,” Harris also said.

The spokesperson also said that the Irish PM had asked his justice minister “to bring proposals to cabinet next week to amend existing law regarding the designation of safe ‘third countries’ and allowing the return of inadmissible International Protection applicants to the UK”.

McEntee is set to discuss the prospective returns policy during her meeting with British Home Secretary James Cleverly in London on Monday.

“That’s why I’m introducing fast processing, that’s why I’ll have emergency legislation at cabinet this week to make sure that we can effectively return people to the UK and that’s why I’ll be meeting with the home secretary to raise these issues on Monday,” she told RTE, according to Al Jazeera.

Previously, Ireland classified the UK as a “safe third country” for asylum seeker returns. However, last month, the Irish high court deemed this designation in violation of European Union law, halting the process.

In the UK, the Rwanda bill successfully navigated through the parliamentary process, culminating in its final approval last Monday. Sunak anticipates that this legislation will deter asylum seekers from attempting to reach the UK via small boats crossing the English Channel from northern Europe. (ANI)

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Independent commission outlines alternative asylum system

One in three respondents had a bachelor’s degree or equivalent but the same number said they were unable to use the skills they learnt as part of their qualification, according to the findings…reports Asian Lite News

Migrants would be eligible to work in the UK after six months of waiting for an asylum decision and given free English language education on day one after arrival, in an alternative proposal to Britain’s “broken” system.

Recommendations by the independent Commission on the Integration of Refugees (CIR) in its new report include the reinstatement of a refugee’s minister in government.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Rev Justin Welby, has been a leading critic in the upper chamber of government legislation aimed at deporting some asylum seekers to Rwanda.

Archbishop Welby is among religious figures supporting the recommendations. They include Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis, Sheikh Ibrahim Mogra, Cardinal Vincent Nichols and rabbis Josh Levy and Charley Baginsky.

“In a world of rising conflict and instability, we agree that immigration must be managed and controlled, small boats must be stopped, and traffickers must be caught,” the archbishop said.

“Receiving communities especially must be supported and not feel used. That makes it easier for our natural generosity to be expressed, and for our unity to grow and not be threatened. It’s widely acknowledged that our asylum system is broken. It needs rebuilding with compassion, dignity and fairness at the centre. This requires thoughtful, well-informed consideration, which promotes collaboration and common ground, not division.”

In making its case for greater opportunities for refugees, the CIR report highlights analysis by the London School of Economics that suggests migrants could bring in a net economic gain of £1.2 billion [$1.5 billion] over five years.

It says the two recommendations that would deliver this benefit are English language classes provided from arrival in the UK and employment support given at six months, alongside the government meeting its target to process asylum applications in the same time.

A survey of refugees and asylum seekers for the commission by Neighbourly Lab, a non-profit research group, suggests there is “untapped potential” in Britain, the CIR said.

One in three respondents had a bachelor’s degree or equivalent but the same number said they were unable to use the skills they learnt as part of their qualification, according to the findings.

The same number said language was the most significant barrier to work yet more than one in five have been unable to access English classes due to waiting lists, the commission said.

The report says the government should “make people in the asylum system eligible for general employment after six months of waiting for their asylum decision” and this should “not be limited to the jobs on the shortage occupation list”.

It also calls for people in the asylum system to be made eligible for shortage occupation list jobs from day one and for consideration of a “government-backed finance scheme” to help refugees set up businesses.

All asylum-seeking children should be able to access mainstream education immediately, no matter when they arrive, the report says.

“The whole system needs strong governance and oversight, including the reinstatement of a UK refugee minister and involving people with experience as refugees,” it adds.

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Asylum backlog in UK hits record high

A total of 175,457 people were waiting for an initial decision on an asylum application in the UK at the end of June 2023, up 44%…reports Asian Lite News

The backlog of asylum claims in the UK has hit a new record high, according to Home Office figures. A total of 175,457 people were waiting for an initial decision on an asylum application in the UK at the end of June 2023, up 44% at the end of June 2022 and the highest figure since current records began in 2010.

It means the total cost of the asylum has now reached £3.97bn a year – up by £1.85 billion in 2022/23, from £2.12 billion in 2021/22. In 2012/13, the total was £500.2 million.

The Home Office said the “unacceptable number of people risking their lives” coming to the UK via small boats across the Channel was “placing an unprecedented strain on our asylum system”.

The government spokesperson added: “Our priority is to stop the boats, and our Small Boats Operational Command is working alongside our French partners and other agencies to disrupt the people smugglers.”

But according to the Migration Observatory, the department’s figures showed that only 41% of asylum seekers arrived by this route – down on the previous year when it was 45% – even though the overall number of applications rose.

Dr Peter William Walsh, senior researcher at the Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford said political debate had been “hyper-focused on small boats”, but it did not reflect the larger proportion of people who used other routes.

The number of people waiting more than six months for an initial asylum decision stood at 139,961 at the end of June, up 57% year-on-year from 89,231 and another record high.

In total, there were 134,046 cases being dealt with by the Home Office in relation to the 175,457 people waiting for an initial decision at the end of June 2023.

At the end of July 2023, the number of cases being handled had risen to 136,779 – but the data does not show how many people this related to.

The number of people lodging asylum claims has also risen to a two-decade high.

Some 78,768 applications were made in the year to June 2023 – again, there can be more than one person covered by each application.

This is 19% higher than the previous 12 months, and higher than the European migration crisis, where 36,546 applications were made in a 12-month period.

Stephen Kinnock, Labour’s shadow immigration minister, said: “These new statistics set out in stark terms the complete chaos the Tories have created in the immigration and asylum system.

“The asylum backlog has reached a new record high, with 175,000 people now waiting for decisions. Only 1% of last year’s 45,000 small boats cases have received a decision and the number of failed asylum seekers being returned is also down a whopping 70% since 2010. This is a disastrous record for the prime minister and home secretary.

“With this level of mismanagement, there is very little prospect of reducing the eye-wateringly high bill for hotel rooms for all those left in limbo, currently costing the British taxpayer £6 million a day.”

There has also been a sharp rise in the number of worker visas issued in the past year compared to the previous 12 months.

The new statistics published by the Home Office also show a 63% rise in the number of people coming to the UK on work visas in the year to June 2023, compared to the year to June 2022 – meaning 538,887 arrived to work in the past year.

The number of study visas issued is up 34% to 657,208.

Both these figures include dependents brought into the UK on the programmes alongside the main visa holder.

This means that 208,295 more people came to the UK on work visas in the 12 months to June 2023 and 165,968 more people entered on study visas. It comes despite a Tory 2019 manifesto commitment to “bring overall numbers down”.

The government has changed the law to mean that, from January 2024, people on student visas will no longer be able to bring dependents with them. A sizeable proportion of those entering on work visas are health and care workers, for whom the government created a new pathway in 2020.

A Home Office spokesperson said: “The public rightly expects us to control immigration and ensure it works in the UK’s best interests, by filling skills gaps and growing the economy.

“Health and care visas made up the largest proportion of work visas granted. These workers are helping our health and social care sector by providing a much-needed staffing boost.”

But Jonathan Gullis, a Tory MP and member of the New Conservatives group said,”I think a lot of people will rightly be concerned to see another huge rise in skilled worker visas particularly as the thresholds in education have been reduced, so we will probably be continuing to rely on cheap foreign labour into the future, whenever there is a shortage.

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UK charities call for safe routes for asylum seekers

Enver Solomon, chief executive of the Refugee Council, said the latest “preventable deaths” underlined the need for the Home Office to act…reports Asian Lite News

The government’s controversial asylum policy faced renewed criticism when at least six people died after a small boat crossing the Channel capsized and sank.

Another two people are still believed to be missing after the sinking, prompting fresh calls for the government to urgently introduce safe routes for asylum seekers to prevent further tragedies.

As the search for survivors continued, anger quickly switched to the Home Office’s reluctance to introduce measures that would deter migrants from risking their lives crossing the world’s busiest shipping lane.

The tragedy also created a dreadful ending for Rishi Sunak’s “small boats week”, which was meant to reinvigorate his stuttering strategy to tackle Channel crossings, but has been repeatedly marred by blunders and humiliation, including the forced evacuation of the Bibby Stockholm barge and record small boat arrivals.

In the hours that followed, British and French coastguards rescued about 65 people from the vessel. France’s Maritime Prefecture of the Channel and the North Sea said it believed two were possibly still missing at sea. Of those rescued, six were recovered in serious condition, one of whom was flown by helicopter to a Calais hospital and later declared dead. The remaining five were taken on to a boat, but subsequently died.

Reports from the French lifeboats arriving at the scene described numerous people in the sea, many screaming for help.

The Dover lifeboat quickly joined the rescue operation, with 10 survivors later seen being brought off the vessel as it returned to Kent, some on stretchers, though the extent of injuries and exact numbers remained unclear.

Enver Solomon, chief executive of the Refugee Council, said the latest “preventable deaths” underlined the need for the Home Office to act.

“These tragic incidents can and must be prevented. We know that people risk their lives to cross the Channel as a direct consequence of safe routes being so limited and ineffective.

“But instead of putting in place these routes and treating those seeking refuge with compassion and fairness, the government has introduced draconian and unworkable new laws that slams our door in the face of vulnerable men, women and children.”

Steve Smith, chief executive of refugee charity Care4Calais, said the “terrible loss of life demonstrates yet again the need for a system of safe passage to the UK for refugees”.

Later, the charity Freedom from Torture released a statement accusing ministers of “hostile” attitudes towards refugees.

The current Home Office position pledges to bring in new routes, yet it is unclear when and in what form it would do so.

“We are committed to providing routes, including exploring new routes, to safety for vulnerable people across the globe, but we must first grip the rise in illegal migration and stop the boats,” says the Home Office website.

Following Saturday’s tragedy, a statement from the Home Office focused on tackling people smugglers rather than reviewing its current approach. “This incident is sadly another reminder of the extreme dangers of crossing the Channel in small boats and how vital it is that we break the people smugglers’ business model and stop the boats,” it said.

Home secretary Suella Braverman chaired a meeting with Border Force officials on Saturday morning, and described the incident as a “tragic loss of life”.

In France, an investigation has been opened by the Boulogne prosecutor’s office.

French National Assembly member for Calais, Pierre-Henri Dumont, said authorities were interviewing the migrants who were able to speak and not too unwell, to establish what happened and where they had come from.

On Saturday night, rescuers were still scouring the water for survivors and bodies. A French Navy aircraft and a helicopter had been deployed to help the search.

On Thursday, 755 people crossed the English Channel in small boats, the highest daily number so far this year, taking the total since 2018 past 100,000.

Rescue crews said it was the seventh time last week that they had had to pull people from the water.

People boarding the Bibby Stockholm barge last week before they were later evacuated due to the discovery of Legionella bacteria.

Although the incident happened in French territory, it is normal for British and French rescue teams to work together to save as many people as possible.

The sinking came a day after fresh Home Office humiliation when asylum seekers on the Bibby Stockholm barge were evacuated following the discovery of legionella bacteria in the water supply.

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Asylum claim law firms in a spot

Prime Minister vows immediate action needed to restore public confidence, calls unscrupulous practice truly shocking…reports Asian Lite News

The solicitors’ watchdog in England and Wales has confirmed it is investigating law firms accused of helping clients make false asylum claims.

It comes after a Daily Mail reporter, posing as an economic migrant, asked law firms for help applying for asylum. Two companies allegedly agreed to help devise fictional backstories aimed at increasing the success of a claim.

Justice Secretary Alex Chalk has urged the regulator to use the “full force of sanctions” at its disposal. In an unusual step, Rishi Sunak and Lord Chancellor Alex Chalk said the ‘appalling’ conduct uncovered by this newspaper must be met with the ‘full force of sanctions’.

In a letter to the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) Chalk said the practices exposed were ‘unacceptable and must stop’. He called on the watchdog to conduct an urgent review of the sector to root out corrupt behaviour.

The move was echoed by the Prime Minister, who said immediate action was needed to restore public confidence. Sunak said: “While the vast majority of lawyers take their professional responsibilities seriously, these allegations of exploitation and unscrupulous practice brought to light by the Mail are truly shocking and it is vital that those found to be abusing their position face the full consequences of their actions. I am determined to rebuild the public’s confidence that it is their country and their government who should decide who comes here, not people looking to profit from undermining our laws. That’s why this Government will continue to strain every sinew to end the abuse of our system and stop the boats.”

The interventions followed this newspaper’s damning investigation into the activities of unscrupulous lawyers charging thousands of pounds to submit false asylum claims for illegal immigrants.

Some law firms are charging up to £10,000 to invent stories of torture, death threats and modern slavery designed to help clients claim asylum. The investigation found legal staff readily agreeing to help submit false claims, in apparent contravention of the solicitors’ code of conduct.

The Mail has handed over its evidence to the SRA, which is looking into the allegations. The independent watchdog said it would take action if it found evidence that solicitors or firms have acted in ways that contravene its rules and their duty to act legally and uphold the law.

In his letter to SRA chairman Anna Bradley, Chalk said ‘robust’ action was needed to retain public confidence in the immigration system, which he said was a ‘top priority for Government’.

He said he was ‘appalled’ by the ‘apparent abuse of the system by individuals relied upon to give legal advice’.

“I would strongly encourage you to use the full force of sanctions available to you against solicitors where there is a finding of a breach,” he said.

“It is vital that we show the public – and the majority of honest and professional solicitors – that this kind of abuse of the system will not be tolerated and will be dealt with robustly.”

Chalk said solicitors were ‘critical to the operation of a fair and robust immigration system’. But he added: ‘Any examples of practices which fall short of the high ethical standards we expect of solicitors risk serious disruption to the immigration system, tarnishing the reputation of those working in this area, and critically undermining public confidence.’

The SRA has the power to levy substantial fines and even shut down law firms with immediate effect. Crucially, it can also refer rogue lawyers to the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal, which can levy unlimited fines and strike off solicitors, leaving them unable to practise.

However, a loophole in the law means that while migrants can face criminal sanctions for submitting false claims, it is much harder to prosecute their lawyers.

Chalk urged the SRA to reopen a review of the immigration law sector, which previously raised concerns but found that ‘overall, we were satisfied with the quality of service being provided’.

Chalk said the investigation ‘suggests that there are still firms operating that are not compliant’, adding: “As I’m sure you will agree, this is unacceptable and must stop.”

Writing to the Solicitors Regulation Authority, Mr Chalk said: “Solicitors are critical to the operation of a fair immigration system. I know that the overwhelming majority take their professional duties and obligations extremely seriously.

“However, any examples of practices which fall short of the high ethical standards we expect of solicitors risk serious disruption to the immigration system, tarnishing the reputation of those working in this area, and critically undermining public confidence.”

A spokesperson for the regulator said: “We can confirm we are investigating the firms/individuals. As a result of the information provided, we are looking to take urgent action to make sure the public are protected.

“If we find evidence that solicitors or firms we regulate have acted in ways that contravene our rules, and in particular their duty to act legally and uphold the law, we can and will take action.”

Last November, the regulator carried out a review of the immigration and asylum sector which concluded it was generally “satisfied with the quality of service being provided”.

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Asylum system completely broken, says Labour

Sunak hopes to build on migration agreements secured with France and Albania and will begin negotiations for a returns agreement with Moldova…reports Asian Lite News

The amount of taxpayer cash spent on the UK’s asylum system has quadrupled over the past decade to hit £2.1bn, Home Office statistics show.

The figure represents a fourfold increase since 2010, when costs stood at £567m.

The Labour Party, which obtained the figures, attributed the jump from £1.4bn in 2020/21 to £2.1bn in 2021/22 to slower asylum decisions, the rising backlog and the home secretary’s “last minute decision-making” over the use of hotels.

The Labour Party said the asylum system was “completely broken and British taxpayers are paying the price”.

Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said: “After 13 years, the Tories have broken the asylum system and these figures prove it. Nothing the government is doing is working, and their legislation is making the situation worse, with more people stuck in the system than ever before. Labour has set out serious plans for a cross-border police unit, fast-tracking to clear the backlog and a proper deal with Europe on safe returns.”

A Conservative spokesman responded: “Labour’s approach to asylum was a disastrous open-door policy coupled with massive amnesties.

“Given the chance they’d do it all over again. Labour are against deporting foreign criminals. Labour are against deporting illegal migrants. Labour are against stopping the boats. Only the Conservatives have a plan to tackle illegal migration as we deliver on our five priorities: halving inflation, growing the economy, reducing debt, cutting waiting lists and stopping the boats.”

The data comes after the UN’s refugee agency identified significant failings in the UK’s asylum system, including the detention of torture victims and laws not being “complied with”.

In a scathing report, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees noted “numerous risks to the welfare of asylum seekers” after its investigation between 2021 and 2022.

However, the Home Office said “significant improvements” have been made since the audit took place. Separate Home Office figures released on the same day also showed the backlog of asylum cases in the UK hit a new record high.

A total of 172,758 people waited for an initial decision on an asylum application at the end of March 2023 – up 57% compared with the same period last year.

Labour also claims that over the past year, only 1% of small boat asylum cases have had a decision made and that the productivity rate of Home Office workers had fallen from 14 decisions per month in 2011 and 18 in 2016, to just five per month in the last financial year.

On Thursday Sunak will head to Moldova for the European Political Community summit where he will warn that a rise in illegal migration and Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine have created “unprecedented threats” at Europe’s borders.

Sunak is hoping to build on migration agreements secured with France and Albania and will begin negotiations for a returns agreement with Moldova.

He will also announce a new partnership with Bulgaria to help it destroy the business model of organised criminal gangs who are facilitating illegal migration.

Last month, the Labour Party accused the government of “breaking promises”  on migration as official figures are expected to confirm that numbers have increased.

Speaking in the Commons, Sir Keir Starmer said : “The prime minister stood on three Tory manifestos, each one promised to reduce immigration. Each promise broken.”

Sunak is battling discontent on the Tory backbenches over the ONS figures, which are expected to show that net migration has increased from 504,000 last year to more than 700,000 in the year to December 2022.

Suella braverman

Recently, Braverman announced new curbs on international students bringing family members to the UK in a bid to lower the numbers. But Sir Keir said the reason the government had to issue so many visas was because of “Labour and skills shortages”.

The package announced last month will mean that international students will no longer be able to bring dependants with them unless they are on postgraduate courses that are currently designated as research programmes.

It will also remove the ability for international students to switch out of the student route and into work routes before their studies have been completed “to prevent misuse of the visa system”, the government said.

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UK govt proposes bill to deport illegal asylum seekers

The legislation contains a “rights brake”, making asylum claims by those arriving on small boats inadmissible…reports Asian Lite News

The government is expected to present on Tuesday a new bill providing for the detention and swift deportation of asylum seekers who illegally enter the country via small boats, according to media reports.

Despite Brexit-related promises to tighten control of its borders, Britain has seen a considerable uptick in such arrivals, logging a record 45,000 last year, and pressure has mounted on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to tackle the situation.

The bill to be unveiled Tuesday includes measures facilitating the detention and deportation “as soon as reasonably practicable” of asylum seekers arriving in the country illegally.

The legislation contains a “rights brake”, making asylum claims by those arriving on small boats inadmissible.

The government intends to send at least some deportees to Rwanda under a deal that was struck last year but which had never been applied after running into legal challenges. People who arrived illegally would also be barred from returning to the UK for life.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman on Sunday defended the new legislation, saying in the Sun that Britain “must stop the boats”.

“It has to be that if you come here illegally you will be detained and swiftly removed,” she said. “Our laws will be simple in their intention and practice — the only route to the UK will be a safe and legal route.”

Secretary for Northern Ireland Chris Heaton-Harris, meanwhile, said stemming the flow of migrants across the English Channel also “involves proper conversations that are ongoing” with European countries to ensure would-be asylum seekers “are upheld in the first safe country that they come to”.

Sunak has made stopping the boats a flagship promise ahead of general elections, for which the opposition Labour Party currently leads in the polls.

Writing in the Sun, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the plans were “fair for those at home and those who have a legitimate claim to asylum”.

More than 45,000 people entered the UK via Channel crossings last year, up from around 300 in 2018, leading to pressure on the government to tackle the issue.

Under the new plans, the home secretary would have a duty to remove those who arrive on UK shores illegally in a small boat.

This “duty to remove” would take precedence in law over the right to claim asylum, although there would be exemptions for the under-18s and those with serious medical conditions.

Anyone removed would also not be permitted to return to the UK or seek British citizenship in future.

While the bill will not become law for several months it will apply retrospectively, meaning anyone arriving in the UK illegally from Tuesday will be at risk of deportation under the laws.

It is thought the legislation would place a duty on the home secretary to remove all those arriving on boats to Rwanda or a “safe” third country “as soon as reasonably practicable” – no matter where they had come from.

But despite a deal being reached last year, so far no migrants have been sent to Rwanda yet and any plans to do so are currently on hold after the policy was met with fierce opposition and legal interventions.

In an opinion piece for the Sun, Sunak said the UK has a “proud history of welcoming those most in need” and the new measures were “fair for those at home and those who have a legitimate claim to asylum”.

“Those arriving on small boats aren’t directly fleeing a war-torn country or facing an imminent threat to life,” he said.

“Instead, they have travelled through safe, European countries before crossing the Channel. The fact that they can do so is unfair on those who come here legally and enough is enough.”

He added that the plans would “send a clear signal that if you come to this country illegally, you will be swiftly removed” and “help break the business model of people smugglers”.

The plans have met with criticism from opposition figures and refugee groups.

Labour has said the new legislation rehashes previous plans that have not worked.

A new offence of arriving in the UK illegally was introduced in the Nationality and Borders Act 2022 by the then Home Secretary Priti Patel, but has barely been used.

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Proposed asylum plan will double cost to taxpayers: Charities

Gulwali Passarlay, an asylum seeker who arrived in Britain from Afghanistan in the back of a truck in 2007 as a 13-year-old, warned that the bill was “inhumane.”…reports Asian Lite News

A proposed overhaul of the UK migration system under Home Secretary Priti Patel will cost almost twice as much as the current system, leaving taxpayers to foot the bill, refugee charities have warned.

As part of the Nationality and Borders Bill, which aims to tackle the long-term issue of migrant crossings across the English Channel, about £1.4 billion ($1.9 billion) would be spent on a third-country processing system.

In total, the proposed changes would cost about £2.7 billion per year, almost double the £1.4 billion paid in 2019-2020. However, the bill must pass through the House of Lords before it is enacted.

Further calculations by Together With Refugees, a coalition group that includes the British Red Cross and the Refugee Council, revealed that under the new plan, £717 million per year will be spent on new reception centers to house the predicted 10,000 asylum seekers arriving in Britain annually.

A further £432 million per year are needed to jail migrants who cross the Channel in small vessels, says the report titled “A Bill at what price?”

And once decisions have been made on individual asylum seekers, the cost to deport those with failed applications to safe countries would cost a further £117 million per year, on top of the £1.5 million needed for bureaucratic processing.

Home Office officials told MPs earlier this month that the government is paying £4.7 million per day to accommodate the 25,000 asylum seekers and 12,000 Afghan refugees currently in Britain.

Gulwali Passarlay, an asylum seeker who arrived in Britain from Afghanistan in the back of a truck in 2007 as a 13-year-old, warned that the bill was “inhumane.”

He added: “If I had arrived with the bill in place … I could have been put in prison for up to four years. I could have been sent back to a country I passed through to claim asylum, even though they were not safe for me and I was arrested and treated badly. I could have been separated from my brother and uncle and sent to offshore detention facilities, where I could be stranded in limbo for years.”

Passarlay, now an author and campaigner, said: “It will mean more deaths in the Channel, further limbo for people waiting for their decision, and people separated overseas waiting to be processed. It will cause a lot more hardship and pain.”

Enver Solomon, CEO of the Refugee Council, said: “The government’s reforms will see vast amounts of public money wasted on cruelly pushing away and criminalizing men, women and children desperately in need of safety and protection. They won’t deliver the humane, fair, efficient and orderly asylum system that is needed.”

A Home Office spokesperson said the figures in the report are “pure speculation,” adding: “While lives are being lost in the Channel, we will look at all options available to us.”

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UK sets 2-week asylum claim goal as Channel crossings surge

UK Home Secretary Priti Patel

Two-thirds of all applications are granted at first review and half of all appeals are successful, it said…reports Asian Lite News

Home Secretary Priti Patel is aiming to draft new laws to reject the asylum claims of Channel migrants within two weeks of their arrival in Britain.

The plan aims to deal with government concerns that asylum seekers have become immune to detainment and deportation policies due to international laws, The Times reported on Saturday.

Patel has ordered Home Office officials to develop powers to expedite asylum claims, with a new goal of two weeks per application.

The UK is facing its biggest backlog of asylum claims for almost two decades, with more than 90,000 people now waiting to hear the results of their asylum applications. Each asylum claim takes an average 12 months to process.

One strategy the Home Office is considering implementing is a rejection protocol if asylum seekers are found to have reached Britain through “safe countries.”

But Patel has been warned that the two-week asylum claim strategy will prove difficult as a result of some migrants fleeing conflict or persecution in their home countries.

However, she said a fortnight is a “reasonable” window for immigration officials, according to Home Office sources.

The new strategy is part of a wider government target to slow Channel crossings, which reached a record 28,381 last year. That number is set to double this year, according to government statistics.

Meanwhile, Patel has incorrectly told MPs that most migrants crossing the English Channel are not asylum-seekers after a Home Office report claimed that “almost all” of them are.

In a Home Affairs Committee session on Wednesday, Patel responded to questions on the government’s plans for tackling the Channel crisis through the provision of alternative safe routes.

Conservative MP Tim Loughton said the number of migrants reaching Britain on small boats tripled last year to more than 28,000 and asked the home secretary about the alternative routes available to them.

“We have people coming from Syria and Afghanistan, we do have the work of the Afghanistan resettlement scheme — that is a safe and legal route that has been stood up,” Patel said.

But when challenged on the routes available to asylum-seekers from countries other than Syria and Afghanistan, she said: “For economic migrants, they don’t need safe and legal routes because they should be claiming asylum in many of the other countries they’re travelling through.”

Patel added: “The majority of them are people that are not claiming asylum or fleeing persecution.”

But her department’s most recent report on migrant statistics, which was released in November, said “almost all” people who arrive via the Channel on small boats claim asylum.

Two-thirds of all applications are granted at first review and half of all appeals are successful, it said.

Patel told the Commons committee that migrants crossing the Channel “should be claiming asylum in other countries,” despite this not being a requirement for any asylum-seeker under UN regulations.

She said new safe and legal routes were being created for asylum-seekers beyond Afghanistan and Syria, but did not provide any details. She added: “We don’t currently have those routes in place.”

British law requires anyone claiming asylum in Britain to be physically present in the country, limiting options for people stuck in countries they are attempting to flee and, campaigners say, forcing them to take perilous routes.

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