No Special Cases: “All Illegal Immigrants Will Be Deported,” Stresses Sunak

The Rishi Sunak-led Conservative government is expected to push controversial legislation cracking down on illegal immigration with a special emphasis on illegal Channel crossings.

While just 300 people entered the UK via Channel crossings in 2018, the figure surged to over 45,000 in 2020. Last year, a total of 45,756 migrants entered British waters in small boats, data compiled by the BBC from official government figures suggested.

In the current year, a total of 2,953 migrants from a diverse array of countries, including Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Albania, have already crossed the English Channel to enter the UK using small boats, according to the latest figures released by the Home Office.

Prime Minister Sunak has expressed his determination to deliver on his pledge to stop the boats, calling illegal migration unfair to British taxpayers as well as to those who come here legally. “Criminal gangs should not be allowed to continue their “immoral trade”, he further mentioned.

The issue of illegal Channel crossings is significant to UK voters and will potentially be a major factor in the upcoming general election. In response, ministers are exploring new measures and are reportedly even willing to push legal boundaries to address the issue.

The new Illegal Migration Bill, if passed, will ban migrants trying to enter the UK through ‘irregular routes’ from obtaining citizenship or permanent settlement in Britain for the rest of their lives. In a tweet, Sunak noted that the new legislation would prevent illegal immigrants from claiming asylum, benefiting from the modern slavery protections, making spurious human rights claims, and staying.