Labour ministers are urged to ‘instantly’ start deporting Syrian asylum seekers after Bashar al-Assad ‘s downfall – as Home Office leaves 1000’s in limbo as selections on claims are paused
Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick has called on ministers to ‘immediately’ begin deporting Syrians asylum seekers in the wake of Assad’s fall.
The former immigration minister said the Government should begin removing Syrians who have claimed refugee status here – many of whom arrived by small boat across the Channel.
It came as the Home Office confirmed Syrian asylum cases have been put on hold.
The vast majority of claims will hinge on human rights issues relating to the former dictator’s regime.
A Home Office spokesman said: ‘The Home Office has paused decisions on Syrian asylum claims whilst we assess the current situation.
‘We keep all country guidance relating to asylum claims kept under constant review so we can respond to emerging issues.’
But Mr Jenrick urged the Government to go further.
‘Many of the asylum claims of Syrian nationals will now be baseless,’ the Conservative frontbencher said.
Shadow Justice Minister Robert Jenrick has called on ministers to ‘immediately’ begin deporting Syrian migrants
Members of the Syrian community in the UK gather at Piccadilly Circus, central London to celebrate the collapse of the Assad regime
‘The Government should be immediately facilitating the returns of Syrians here whose asylum claims are now groundless.’
Between January and September, almost 2,900 Syrians arrived in the UK by small boat, according to Home Office figures.
In the year to September, 3,888 Syrian asylum claims were granted by the Home Office.
The grant rate during that period – the proportion of decisions which led to asylum or another form of humanitarian protection being granted – was 99 per cent, and one of the highest of any nationality.
In the previous 12 months 5,149 asylum cases were granted.
Thousands more Syrian asylum claims are awaiting a decision from the Home Office.
There were just over 5,500 claims in the year to September but it is not known how many of those are still awaiting completion.
Germany, France, Austria and several Nordic countries said on Monday they were also freezing all pending asylum requests from Syrians.
Vienna said it would review asylum cases that had already been granted and soon begin deporting migrants back to Syria.
Conservative chancellor Karl Nehammer instructed the interior ministry ‘to suspend all ongoing Syrian asylum applications and to review all asylum grants’.
Migrants being escorted by Border Force officials into the Port of Dover on October 31
Interior minister Gerhard Karner added he had ‘instructed the ministry to prepare an orderly repatriation and deportation programme to Syria’.
Alice Weidel of the anti-immigration Alternative for Germany said of Sunday’s mass rallies in Berlin by jubilant Syrians celebrating Assad’s downfall: ‘Anyone in Germany who celebrates “free Syria” evidently no longer has any reason to flee.
‘They should return to Syria immediately.’
Germany has taken in almost one million Syrians, with the bulk arriving in 2015-16 under ex-chancellor Angela Merkel.
Jimmie Akesson, leader of the far-Right Sweden Democrats, a coalition partner in the government, said residence permits for Syrian refugees should now be ‘reviewed’.
