PRITI PATEL: Enough is sufficient… the system is damaged

On Feb 4, 2024

Published: 22:34, 3 February 2024 | Updated: 00:59, 4 February 2024

The present asylum system is collapsing. The pressures brought on by unlawful and harmful routes to assert asylum, facilitated by severe organised legal gangs exploiting folks and making the most of human distress, not solely prices lives however undermines public confidence.

This is counter to our nationwide curiosity as a result of the identical legal gangs and networks are additionally liable for different illicit exercise, starting from medicine and firearms trafficking to severe violent crimes.

It can also be counter to our ethical curiosity, because it means persons are put within the arms of ruthless criminals who facilitate unlawful entry by barbaric means.

We’ve seen the implications of individuals being misplaced at sea after being positioned on to small and unsafe boats, and the tragic lack of life at Purfleet in October 2019, when 39 folks died after a gang sealed them in a lorry.

As Home Secretary in 2021, I created a transparent method, referred to as the New Plan for Immigration, which set out a easy precept: entry to the UK’s asylum system ought to be primarily based on real want, not on the power to pay folks smugglers.

PRITI PATEL: As Home Secretary in 2021, I created a clear approach, called the New Plan for Immigration

PRITI PATEL: As Home Secretary in 2021, I created a transparent method, referred to as the New Plan for Immigration

We've seen the consequences of people being lost at sea after being placed on to small and unsafe boats. Pictured: Migrants try to cross the Channel

We’ve seen the implications of individuals being misplaced at sea after being positioned on to small and unsafe boats. Pictured: Migrants attempt to cross the Channel

Rapist Yaqub Ahmed, whose victim I had supported, this newspaper reported last year how, after five years, 24 court appearances, 20 judges and £85,000 in legal aid, we then learned that the BBC's Africa Editor was hired by his lawyers to give evidence in his appeal to block deportation to Somalia.

Yaqub Ahmed tried to dam deportation after 5 years, 24 court docket appearances, 20 judges and £85,000 in authorized help

The first goal was to extend the equity of the asylum system in order that we are able to higher defend and help these in real want of refuge.

Second, the main focus was to discourage unlawful entry into the UK, breaking the enterprise mannequin of people-smuggling networks.

If you illegally enter the UK through a protected nation wherein you possibly can have claimed asylum, you aren’t in search of refuge or are in imminent peril, you’re an financial migrant.

The third goal was to take away extra simply from the UK these with no proper to be right here.

This is significant to tackling the authorized merry-go-round wherein a number of and infrequently last-minute asylum claims and appeals to the immigration court docket are made.

Those authorized processes have typically annoyed the removing of foreign-national offenders, however at each flip our actions had been challenged by the Labour opposition, legal professionals and campaigners.

During my time as Home Secretary I used to be bombarded with letters from publicity-seeking Labour MPs posted on social media attempting to cease flights eradicating harmful criminals from our nation.

Showing no regard for public security or the victims of crime, they sought to defend the rights of criminals.

Mary Harper, BBC's Africa Editor was hired by Ahmed's lawyers to give evidence in Ahmed's appeal to block deportation to Somalia

Mary Harper, BBC’s Africa Editor was employed by Ahmed’s legal professionals to present proof in Ahmed’s enchantment to dam deportation to Somalia

It is vital to tackling the legal merry-go-round in which multiple and often last-minute asylum claims and appeals to the immigration court are made

It is important to tackling the authorized merry-go-round wherein a number of and infrequently last-minute asylum claims and appeals to the immigration court docket are made

In the case of rapist Yaqub Ahmed, whose sufferer I had supported, this newspaper reported final 12 months how, after 5 years, 24 court docket appearances, 20 judges and £85,000 in authorized help, we then discovered that the BBC’s Africa Editor was employed by his legal professionals to present proof in his enchantment to dam deportation to Somalia.

Today, the MoS has uncovered legal professionals who rent ‘professional witnesses’ to assist convicted criminals enchantment in opposition to deportation. Enough is sufficient.

Our Nationality and Borders Act legislated in order that the best way wherein asylum seekers enter our nation ought to be taken under consideration.

I put into laws a ‘one-stop’ course of to require all rights-based claims to be thought of in a single court docket evaluation. The Government has introduced it’s going to set this up.

This should make sure that how folks enter the nation will have an effect on how their asylum declare progresses, and on their standing if that declare is legit.

For individuals who have their claims refused, the Government should search fast removing to their nation of origin or to a different protected nation.

I additionally established a solution to cease asylum-seeking males posing as kids, by introducing harder age assessments.

The nation needs a strong method to asylum claims that delivers on our dedication to taking again management of our borders, which affords safety for real humanitarian wants and which addresses abuses of our system.