Rise in Foreign Criminals Released in the UK
The number of foreign criminals who have been released onto British streets without facing deportation has reached an all-time high under Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labor government.
A report indicates that a staggering 19,491 migrant offenders have been set free, despite being eligible for deportation.
In recent years, the presence of migrant criminals in the UK has increased dramatically—over 300 percent compared to 2017, when the figure stood at 5,933. Moreover, since Starmer took office last year, the count of migrant criminals has grown by nearly 1,000.
This past September, the government declared new authorities for the Home Office, enabling immediate expulsion of foreign criminals from prison, particularly those with sentences exceeding one year. They’ve also reduced the eligibility time for release from 50 percent to 30 percent of their prison term.
Nonetheless, deportations often face hurdles from the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). Even though the UK shares national symbols with the EU, it remains a distinct entity following Brexit and is still subject to this court’s jurisdiction.
Nigel Farage, the leader of Reform UK, has pledged to detach from the ECHR agreement, which often serves as a platform for foreign criminals, sex offenders, and terrorists to contest their deportations.
Additionally, Farage has committed to establishing a deportation command center aimed at tracking, detaining, and deporting all illegal immigrants residing in the UK.
In contrast, the left-leaning Labor government—similar to previous Conservative administrations—has refrained from withdrawing from the ECHR. Instead, it seeks to negotiate with European nations to modify the regulations to facilitate the deportation of foreign criminals.
Currently, Articles 3 and 8 of the Convention restrict member states from forcibly returning migrants who might face inhumane treatment in their home countries or who could encounter detrimental consequences to their families. The timeline for potential reforms on this front remains uncertain.
At present, about 10,500 foreign criminals occupy UK prisons, constituting roughly 12 percent of the total prison population. The cost for incarcerating these foreign nationals exceeds £50,000 per person annually, which translates to an astonishing £1.3 million per day borne by British taxpayers.
In response to these new figures, a spokesperson from the Home Office asserted, “This Government will not let foreign criminals and illegal immigrants take advantage of our legal system. That’s why we are adjusting human rights laws and fixing our flawed appeals system to ramp up deportations.” They emphasized that all foreign criminals sentenced in the UK would be deported as soon as possible.
