Tirana/London:
The UK government is in discussions with unnamed third countries regarding a plan for migrants who have been denied the right to stay in the UK and have run out of legal options to avoid deportation.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer is facing pressure to demonstrate control over immigration—a topic that resonates deeply with many voters who find it costly and expect that successive governments should strengthen the UK’s borders.
On Thursday, Starmer confirmed that Britain is negotiating with “many countries” about establishing a “return hub” for individuals with no legal right to remain in the country, as well as those who have exhausted all avenues for appeal.
This proposal has been likened to previous plans devised by the former Conservative government, which aimed to send asylum seekers to Rwanda. These plans, however, were quickly dismissed as merely symbolic and scrapped shortly after the Conservatives regained power in July.
Starmer made these comments during his visit to Albania, where he announced efforts to address a gang that facilitates illegal migration to the UK.
Albania’s Prime Minister, Edi Rama, remarked during a press conference that a similar return model between Italy and Albania needs to be thoroughly evaluated, as it has encountered numerous legal challenges so far.
Rama expressed that while other countries might consider similar agreements, he prefers that Albania does not pursue such a deal with the UK.
Starmer indicated that he would share more specifics about the proposed Return Hub “at the right time.”
In a subsequent briefing, a spokesperson elaborated on who might be included in future agreements.
“This applies to people who have used up all legal routes to remain in the UK but are attempting to delay their removal through various legal maneuvers, such as losing documents and other tactics,” the spokesperson explained.
“Under these proposals, they will be taken to a safe third country while awaiting new documentation to prevent them from complicating their removal further.”
