India Now In UK's 'Deport Now, Appeal Later' List: What It Means For Expats
London, United Kingdom: The United Kingdom (UK) has added India to the ‘Deport Now Appeal Later’ list of 23 countries, which the former recently expanded. The foreign criminals from countries under the list will be deported before they can appeal against the decision.
The UK government raised the list from eight countries to 23, as part of a broader crackdown to tackle migration issues and criminal deportations.
The eight countries in the list include Finland, Nigeria, Estonia, Albania, Belize, Mauritius, Tanzania and Kosovo. Other than India, the new expanded list comprised Angola, Australia, Botswana, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Guyana, Indonesia, Kenya, Latvia, Lebanon, Malaysia, Uganda and Zambia.
The foreign nationals who get sentences for criminal offenses from the mentioned countries will be deported. Their appeals to the verdict will only be heard remotely through video from overseas, as per the rule under the “Deport Now Appeal Later” list. Since July 2024, approximately 5,200 foreign nationals have been deported, marking a 14 percent rise over the previous year.
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Speaking about the situation, the UK’s home secretary Yvette Cooper said that foreign criminals have been exploiting the country’s immigration system so far, adding it has to end.
“Those who commit crimes in our country cannot be allowed to manipulate the system, which is why we are restoring control and sending a clear message that our laws must be respected and will be enforced,” the home secretary said.
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The government is also planning to further expand the list with diplomatic efforts. The new approach will reduce the burden on British taxpayers, as offenders from these countries previously remained in the UK long after completing their prison sentences, as per the government.
