The UK government has been battling illegal migration for years, but despite their attempted policies and promised plans, the results are still underwhelming. A Short Thread:
(The article is featured on Visegrad24)
1. Since 2022, the UK government has been fighting illegal migration with strict policies. One major plan was to deport migrants to Rwanda and deter arrivals with poor living conditions.
2. The Reality: •No deportation flights to Rwanda have taken place. •The UK Supreme Court ruled the Rwanda-Plan unlawful in 2023. •Housing built in Rwanda for deportees has reportedly been sold to locals in Rwanda.
3. Illegal crossings keep rising: • 45,755 arrived in 2022. • 29,437 in 2023. • Over 35,000 in 2024 (via small boats).
4. Starmer’s New Plan : After taking office in 2024, PM Keir Starmer scrapped the Rwanda plan and set up a Border Security Command. His focus is to target criminal networks and “strengthen border controls.”
5. The New Measures: The Home Office plans to introduce severe restrictions on mobile phone and internet usage, travel, and finance for suspected people-smugglers. They also plan to criminalize the possession of items like dinghies, engines, or life jackets These measures aim to stop illegal migration by targeting people smugglers, and to stop the process before new migrants enter the country.
6. The future ahead: The big question: Can these new measures succeed where others failed or will 2025 bring more of the same struggles for Starmer?
