London (Parliament Politics Magazine) – UK Home Office ‘expanding’ work to prevent migrants who throw away passports from being able to avoid deportation.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper expressed how more difficult action is to be taken to prevent migrants who throw away their passports from being able to evade deportation. She emphasised that the Home Office is looking to build up a “fast track” system for dealing with asylum suits.
The Government is also “watching closely” a system where migrant people heading to Italy across the Mediterranean will have their claims processed under the country’s system but in Albania.
How will the Italy-Albania arrangement work for migrants?
Under the arrangement, some 36,000 people a year, who are supposed to be attempting to reach Italy from “safe” countries, are expected to be carried to the Albanian port of Shengjin, 45 miles south of the country’s capital, Tirana. They will have their asylum claims swiftly processed there and if victorious will be able to go to Italy.
What challenges do migrants face when arriving from safe countries?
However, the vast prevalence is expected to have their applications denied as they come from countries considered safe including Egypt, Bangladesh, Ivory Coast and Tunisia. So far, about 32,000 people have crossed the Channel in “small boats” this year and the new Administration is seeking to dramatically step up efforts to reduce the number of crossings.
How is the UK Home Office expanding deportation efforts?
Ms Cooper told BBC radio: “There is the Italy-Albania arrangement that is a new arrangement that is being put in place, We watch that closely.” She added: “We are looking to develop a fast-track system within the UK. If you have got people arriving from safer countries, we should be able to speed up those decisions and speed up returns. We have had a 23 per cent increase in enforced returns for failed asylum cases over the summer.”
What resources are being increased for asylum enforcement?
The Home Secretary highlighted: “We have since the election substantially increased the resources for returns and enforcement. There will be all kinds of evidence around people’s identity, it’s not just dependent on the particular passport people have.”
“We develop as part of returns arrangements with other countries, agreements and arrangements for being able to identify people even if they don’t have passports. That has been done in the past, continues to be done, and we believe that work can be expanded as well.”