London: The UK government is considering a major effort to locate and deport illegal immigrants. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has expressed concern over the growing number of people unlawfully settling and working in the country, calling the situation alarming. Plans are being developed to address and prevent this issue.
“Too many people are able to come to the UK and work illegally. We are putting an end to it,” PM Starmer wrote in a post on X on Monday. This follows closely on the heels of a similar move by President Trump’s administration, which initiated a crackdown on illegal immigrants in the United States just a month ago.
Too many people are able to come to the UK and work illegally.
We are putting an end to it.
— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) February 10, 2025
Rising Indian migrant mumbers
In 2023, over 1,000 Indians risked their lives by crossing the English Channel in small inflatable boats, hoping to find jobs or seek asylum in the UK. The dangerous journey has become more common in recent years, with the number of Indian migrants more than doubling from the year before. Among them, young adults aged 18-29 made up nearly 60 per cent of the total illegal Indian migrants in 2023. At the same time, the number of Indians applying for asylum in the UK also rose, surpassing 5,000 for the first time in 2023.
Earlier this month, a US military plane recently flew 104 illegal Indian immigrants back to India, marking the first time the military has been used for the purpose. The plane, a C-17A Globemaster III, landed in Amritsar, Punjab, on February 5, after a long flight from the US.
Trump’s deportation policy
The deportation is part of former President Donald Trump’s immigration policy, which has involved using military resources for deportations. The US and India have been working together to address issues of illegal migration, with India agreeing to take back its nationals living illegally in the US. Using the military plane for this deportation cost about USD 1 million, which comes to over USD 10,000 per person. This is much more expensive than using regular civilian planes for deportations.
