The UK has announced that foreign criminals will, for the first time, face immediate deportation after sentencing.
According to the UK Government website, the new power will remove foreign national offenders from UK jails, save money for British taxpayers, and safeguard the public from dangerous criminals.
Under current standards, most foreign offenders are deported after serving half of their prison sentence.
However, beginning in September, they will be removed after serving only 30% of their sentence, and after the new law is implemented, most determinate sentences will be deported soon after sentencing.
Since July 2024, approximately 5,200 foreign offenders have been deported, representing a 14% increase from the previous year.
Foreign nationals currently make up approximately 12% of the UK prison population, with each prison spot costing an average of £54,000 per year.
Terrorists, murderers, and those serving life sentences will not be deported immediately; they will continue to complete their full prison terms.
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Authorities will also exercise discretion in certain circumstances, such as when there is clear information that a prisoner is plotting other crimes against UK interests, such as posing a threat to national security.
Speaking on the issue, Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood said, “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 than ever before. Our message is clear: if you abuse our hospitality and break our laws, we will send you packing.”
The government is also working on other measures to expedite removals, such as establishing returns hubs, implementing a new returns treaty with France to return small boat arrivals, and tightening the application of Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights to make it easier to deport international criminals.
The proposed proposal, which calls for primary legislation, will be tabled in Parliament in the following months.
If passed, it will apply to all foreign offenders now in detention and any convicted in the future.
