We are taking decisive action to stop the boats
STOPPING the boats is one of the Government’s top priorities because it is a top priority for the public. Like so many, Sunday Express readers want us to end the unacceptable situation in the Channel because you see the inherent unfairness of these crossings.
You see the impact of illegal migration in your communities, and the huge sums of your hardearned money being spent to house people in hotels.
And you can see the crossings for what they really are: overwhelmingly young men, who have travelled through, and left, safe countries like France to claim protection here in the UK.
They are mostly economic migrants shopping around for asylum.this is not what the authors of international refugee treaties envisaged over 70 years ago.
And as our generosity is abused, our finite resources are diverted from helping those in the world who are genuinely in need of sanctuary and refuge.
All the while lives are being lost at sea as evil people-smugglers pack migrants on to unseaworthy vessels in pursuit of criminal gains.
So be in no doubt, these concerns about illegal migration are entirely justified. Labour MPS are revealing their contempt for the public when they claim it is “racist” to take decisive steps to enforce our borders. It is in fact a moral imperative that the majority of people firmly support.
That is why we have introduced the Stop the Boats Bill.
At its heart is a simple principle: if someone enters illegally there should be no route to a life here.
Instead, you should face detention and be promptly removed, either to your home country or to a safe country like Rwanda where asylum claims will be considered.
The crossings will only stop if migrants in safe countries know coming illegally is futile.
Last year an anonymous judge at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg blocked our first Rwanda flight.
The amendment we laid this week will make clear Parliament’s intent that the Home Secretary has discretion whether or not to comply
with such interventions.we are giving immigration officers powers to seize devices like phones from people who come here illegally.
This will provide us with invaluable intelligence to help us catch more people-smuggling gangs.
It’s a sad fact that adults who come here illegally sometimes pretend to be children to game the system. With the tough measures we are taking we know there will be an even greater incentive for them to do this to avoid removal. This creates serious risks for children, whose safety we will not compromise on.
At least one of these adults went on to murder, having previously lived with unsuspecting foster parents and amongst actual minors.
That’s why we are taking the power to bring in regulations to strengthen our ability to conduct a scientific form of age assessment so we can weed out the imposters.
AND AS WE tackle the scourge of illegal migration we are increasing our generous provisions for those in conflict zones by establishing an additional safe and legal route here. For the first time, this will be informed by a consultation with councils on their capacity to support additional people, and will be debated by your MPS in Parliament, so that we restore honesty and accountability to such an
important question. And while this Bill progresses to the House of Lords to be voted on, we are acting now to deter the crossings.
This starts long before migrants reach the shores of Normandy, with the UK deepening our cooperation with countries like Albania to tackle the problem at source.
We have elevated our cooperation with France to unprecedented levels with more patrols and hi-tech drones to help intercept those attempting illegal crossings.
And here we have significantly increased illegal working raids and removal flights to send a clear message to those who abuse our laws.
We will not accept an immigration system which privileges those in safe countries who are rich enough to pay the smugglers over the most vulnerable in conflict zones who are genuinely in need of sanctuary and protection.
And we will not elevate the interests of illegal migrants above those of the people whom we are elected to serve.
The British people are incredibly compassionate. But there is nothing compassionate in allowing illegal migration to continue.
That is what the Labour Party do not understand. They have no plan to stop the boats because they do not want to fix the problem.
It is only this Conservative Government that is taking the decisive action needed to stop the boats.
We won’t elevate interests of illegal migrants above those of the people we are elected to serve