The UK government, led by the Labour Party, is planning a significant increase in the deportation of irregular migrants, including those from Nigeria, Iraq, and other countries. This effort is part of a broader initiative to reduce the current backlog of asylum applications. The interior ministry recently announced a contract worth £15 million ($19.7 million) over three years, aimed at finding commercial partners to aid in the reintegration of migrants who have no legal right to stay in the UK.
The contract details the ministry’s search for organizations capable of providing reintegration services in 11 countries: Albania, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Iraq, Jamaica, Nigeria, Pakistan, Vietnam, and Zimbabwe. These services will include delivering food packs, helping trace family members, and providing support for accessing job markets. The government’s goal is to deport over 14,000 failed asylum seekers by the end of the year, making this the highest rate of deportations in the last five years.
Interior Minister Yvette Cooper stated that the government is determined to enhance immigration enforcement to ensure that those who have no legal right to remain in the UK are returned to their home countries. The UK is emphasizing international cooperation with several partner countries to help achieve this objective and to curb irregular migration. The plan is to work closely with these nations to improve enforcement and deportation activities.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who took office earlier this month, has also committed to combating people-smuggling operations that bring irregular migrants to Britain on small boats across the English Channel. This year, over 20,000 migrants have arrived in the UK after crossing from France on makeshift vessels. While this number is slightly higher than last year, it shows a decrease compared to 2022. Refugee charities are urging the government to create more safe and legal routes for asylum seekers to discourage them from undertaking dangerous journeys.
As of June 2024, nearly 119,000 people were still awaiting decisions on their asylum applications in the UK. The government’s new measures aim to address this backlog while ensuring that immigration rules are enforced and respected.