UK Labour government has unveiled new proposals to fast-track the asylum applications of migrants entering the country illegally from designated safe states, including India. This move is aimed at accelerating deportations back to their countries of origin.
UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced the plan, highlighting a shift from the previous Conservative-led government’s now-defunct Rwanda scheme to a new Returns and Enforcement programme. This programme focuses on increasing returns to countries of origin, starting with heightened raids on businesses employing illegal workers.
“We are drawing up new plans for fast-track decisions and returns for safe countries,” Cooper wrote in The Sun on Sunday. “Most people in this country want to see a properly controlled and managed asylum system, where Britain does its bit to help those fleeing conflict and persecution, but where those who have no right to be in the country are swiftly removed.”
India, added to the UK’s Safe States list last November, will see an expedited process for returning Indians who travel to the UK illegally. According to Home Office figures, asylum seekers from India have a very low acceptance rate. Data from the Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford shows a brief surge in illegal crossings of Indians via small boats across the English Channel between September 2022 and March 2023, which has since dropped to a negligible proportion. Other countries on the safe list, such as Vietnam and Albania, will also be targeted for speedier returns.
“We’ve directed Immigration Enforcement to intensify their operations over the summer, focusing on employers who are fueling the trade of criminal gangs by exploiting and facilitating illegal working here in the UK, including in car washes and the beauty sector,” Cooper added.
In the wake of Labour’s landslide victory in the July 4 general election, the newly appointed Home Secretary announced the creation of a new Border Security Command. This command aims to establish the remit, governance, and strategic direction for tackling organized immigration crime. Early legislation is being prepared to introduce new counter-terror style powers and stronger measures to combat these crimes.
“The Border Security Command will be a major step change in UK enforcement efforts to tackle organized immigration crime,” Cooper said. “Drawing on substantial resources, we will work across Europe and beyond to disrupt trafficking networks and coordinate with prosecutors in Europe to deliver justice.”
The Labour government’s new approach underscores its commitment to a managed asylum system while ensuring those without a right to remain in the UK are swiftly removed.