Latest news with #ImmigrationandAsylumAct
Business Insider
20 hours ago
- Politics
- Business Insider
About 10,400 foreign nationals in UK prisons could face immediate deportation under new plan
Foreign nationals currently serving sentences in UK prisons could be deported immediately under new proposals announced by the justice secretary. The UK justice secretary has announced proposals to deport foreign nationals serving sentences in UK prisons. This plan aims to alleviate prison overcrowding and reduce costs by ensuring non-citizen offenders serve their sentences abroad. Deportable offenders will be prohibited from re-entering the country once removed. The plan aims to accelerate the removal of offenders who are not British citizens, ease pressure on the prison system, and ensure that those convicted of crimes in the UK serve their punishment abroad. Official Ministry of Justice (MoJ) data shows that foreign nationals account for around 12% of the UK's prison population, with approximately 10,400 individuals currently in custody. According to the BBC, the MoJ disclosed that once offenders are deported, the receiving country will decide whether they go on to serve their sentences. The government estimates that each prison place costs about £54,000 per year, and ministers argue the policy would free up capacity for UK offenders while saving public funds spent on housing foreign inmates. Under the proposed changes, foreign nationals given custodial sentences - particularly fixed-term sentences could be removed from the UK as soon as their conviction is secured. Once deported, they would be barred from re-entering the country. Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood told the BBC that foreign criminals would be sent 'packing' if they 'abuse our hospitality and break our laws.' She added: ' This government is taking radical action to deport foreign criminals, as part of our Plan for Change. Deportations are up under this government, and with this new law they will happen earlier and faster than ever before.' UK govt outline fresh deportation framework The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) says life-sentence prisoners, including terrorists and murderers, will serve their full term in the UK before possible deportation. Deportation decisions after sentencing will rest with prison governors, while authorities can keep offenders in custody if they pose security risks. The MoJ defines a foreign national under the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act. If passed, the new powers could be applied to those already in prison, meaning the government could begin deportations immediately. This could significantly impact African immigrants in UK prisons, particularly those serving fixed-term sentences, who may be among the first to face expedited removal once the law comes into effect. The justice secretary has argued that the policy would also serve as a deterrent to foreign criminals. However, its implementation will depend on the UK's ability to coordinate deportations with other countries, including those with which it already has prisoner transfer agreements. The approach bears some similarity to former U.S. President Donald Trump's third country deportation policy, which sought to remove migrants swiftly to other states to deter illegal entry.
Hindustan Times
25-07-2025
- Hindustan Times
K'shetra student wins ₹26.2L in damages from UK Home Office over unlawful detention
A 27-year-old Indian student from Haryana's Kurukshetra district has been awarded £22,500 (approximately ₹26.2 lakh) in damages by the United Kingdom's Home Office, following a legal challenge against his 27-day detention. The settlement was reached this month in the King's Bench Division of the High Court of Justice in London. (Getty Images/iStockphoto) The settlement was reached this month in the King's Bench Division of the High Court of Justice in London. The compensation covers loss of liberty, emotional distress, and missed opportunities. According to his counsel, Sukhvinder Nara—former senior deputy advocate general for Haryana—the student was legally in the UK on a study visa when immigration enforcement officers raided his workplace, a convenience store, on November 13, 2024. He was accused of exceeding the 20-hour weekly work limit imposed on international students. His visa was cancelled on the spot, and he was taken into custody the same day. On November 21, he was served a notice under the Immigration and Asylum Act, and removal directions were issued for his deportation to India on November 29. Until then, he remained in an immigration removal centre. Following the removal notice, a judicial review was filed in the high court, contesting both the cancellation of his visa and the legality of his detention. The review argued that the Home Office had wrongly assessed his working hours and that his detention violated legal standards related to personal liberty. The case was officially lodged on November 28, 2024. On December 9, 2024, the Home Office reinstated the student's visa, and he was released from detention the next day. During settlement talks, the Home Office initially offered £17,500. However, Nara's legal team negotiated a higher amount, ultimately securing £22,500 in damages. The Home Office also agreed to cover the student's legal expenses.
