World Immigration News

Is the government meeting its pledges on illegal immigration and asylum?

Release Date: 2025-06-13
Media: BBC
Summary: The UK government has prioritized tackling illegal immigration and reforming the asylum system, focusing on four main goals: ending the use of asylum hotels, cracking down on people-smuggling gangs, clearing the asylum application backlog, and increasing the return of individuals with no legal right to remain.

Despite promises to phase out asylum hotels by 2029, the number of asylum seekers housed in them has actually increased slightly between June 2024 and March 2025. The continued reliance on hotels is due to a shortage of alternative accommodation, with small boat arrivals remaining high.

Efforts to "smash the gangs" behind illegal crossings have included cooperation with French authorities and high-profile arrests, but there is limited transparency on progress. Small boat arrivals in 2025 have risen by nearly a third compared to the previous year.

The asylum decision backlog has decreased due to a surge in processing and a recent drop in new applications. However, the number of appeals following rejected claims has reached a record high, showing a new area of pressure in the system.

Returns of people without legal status have increased, with almost 30,000 recorded between July 2024 and May 2025 — a 12% rise from the previous year. Still, only a portion of these were enforced removals, while many left voluntarily or without government knowledge.

Overall, while some progress has been made, significant challenges remain, and key government pledges have yet to be fully met.
Tags: United Kingdom

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