A petition calling for the deportation of all foreign-born criminals from the UK has passed a major milestone, now holding more than 15,000 signatures. The online document, started in April by Alexander Bhagat, has triggered a Government response after exceeding 10,000 signatures.
Petition demands immediate deportation
The petition states: "Deport all foreign-born criminals and individuals currently on the terror watchlist to their countries of origin with effect immediately." It adds: "We believe the British people do not need to pay for this, and in an ever-changing world, should not be subjected to having these people as neighbours."
The Home Office responded: "The Government is determined to deport all foreign national offenders. Deportation will be used, against them and those whose deportation is otherwise considered to be conducive to the public good. The Government is clear foreign nationals who abuse our hospitality by committing crimes should be in no doubt of our determination to deport them."
Legal framework for deportation
Under the UK Borders Act 2007, a deportation order must be made where a foreign national has been convicted of an offence and received a custodial sentence of at least 12 months, including suspended sentences. This duty is subject to several exceptions, including where deportation would breach a person's rights under the European Convention on Human Rights or the UK's obligations under the Refugee Convention.
Where the threshold under the UK Borders Act 2007 is not met, deportation is considered under the Immigration Act 1971 on the ground it is conducive to the public good. This includes cases where a foreign national has a conviction for an offence that caused serious harm, is a persistent offender, or poses a threat to national security. A deportation order prevents an individual from lawfully re-entering the UK while it remains in force.
Home Office measures and prison numbers
The Home Office said it uses various tools, including domestic and international watchlists, to detect and disrupt travel by terrorists, criminals, those previously deported or excluded from the UK, and individuals using lost, stolen or revoked documents and visas. It works with law enforcement and wider government partners to ensure appropriate action is taken before travel or at the border when individuals of concern are identified.
The petition closes on October 27. Reform UK said last week that it would deport foreign nationals in Britain's jails to free up space as 700 prisoners were released. There were around 10,400 individuals held in custody as of March this year, including 3,588 on remand, 6,458 sentenced and 441 non-criminal.
