The Home Secretary has announced what the government describes as the most comprehensive reforms to tackle illegal migration in modern times, with new legislation planned for later this year to prevent migrants exploiting human rights laws to delay removal.
The reforms include revoking the statutory legal duty to provide asylum-seeker support, including housing and handouts, for those who have a right to work and can support themselves but choose not to, or for those who break UK law. Measures will also restrict illegal migrants to a single route of appeal and fast-track cases with little chance of success.
A Home Office spokesperson stated: “This Government is bearing down on small boat crossings. We have stopped 40,000 crossing attempts since this Government came into office through our joint work with the French.”
The announcement comes as the government released figures showing almost 60,000 people who were in the UK illegally have been removed or deported since the 2024 election. More than 15,200 illegal migrants were deported and forcibly removed during that period, representing a 45 per cent increase on the 19 months prior.
Foreign national offenders, including murderers and rapists, are being removed at significantly higher rates, with deportations up 32 per cent. More than 8,700 foreign criminals have been deported since July 2024, marking what officials say is the highest level of removals in a decade.
The Home Office confirmed that a pilot deal with France now enables those who arrive on small boats to be sent back across the Channel. Joint work between UK and French authorities has prevented 40,000 crossing attempts since the government took office, according to the spokesperson.
The Border Security Asylum and Immigration Act has equipped officers with stronger powers to disrupt criminal activity more rapidly. Officers can now seize electronic devices including mobile phones suspected of containing information about organised immigration crime, providing investigators with additional tools to dismantle people-smuggling networks.
The reforms represent a shift in approach toward reducing incentives for illegal migrants to travel to the UK. By removing automatic support for those capable of working and streamlining the appeals process, the government aims to discourage illegal entry whilst accelerating removals of those with no right to remain.
The Home Secretary emphasized that those with no right to be in the UK will not be allowed to stay. New legislation scheduled for introduction later this year will close loopholes currently used to delay removals through human rights claims.
The backdrop to the reforms is 2022’s record year for small boat crossings, when over 45,000 people arrived in the UK via the Channel. The government’s strategy combines increased enforcement with legal reforms designed to make the UK a less attractive destination for illegal migration.
Implementation of the new measures will proceed throughout the year, with the single-route appeal system and fast-tracking mechanisms expected to further increase removal rates. The government continues working with French authorities on joint operations to intercept crossings before boats reach UK waters.
