UK Home Secretary to Boost Efforts Against People-Smuggling

Yvette Cooper, the Shadow Home Secretary, has announced a comprehensive plan to tackle organised immigration crime networks that exploit asylum seekers. This initiative comes in response to heightened political pressure following recent far-right riots that have placed immigration at the forefront of national discourse. Cooper emphasized the urgency of addressing immigration issues, particularly the influx of small boats, to counteract criticism from right-wing opponents, including Nigel Farage and his Reform UK party. The Labour Party aims to achieve the highest rate of deportations for refused asylum seekers since 2018, with the Home Office launching a new intelligence-driven programme targeting employers who hire undocumented workers. In the past six weeks, the government has conducted nine return flights, including the largest chartered flight to date. The Home Office has noted a significant decline in the removal of refused asylum seekers, down 40% since 2010, prompting the reassignment of 300 caseworkers to enhance enforcement efforts. The National Crime Agency (NCA) is currently leading approximately 70 investigations into major people-smuggling and trafficking operations. Cooper highlighted the establishment of a new border security command, which is actively recruiting staff to collaborate with European enforcement agencies in dismantling criminal smuggling networks responsible for dangerous boat crossings. Despite these efforts, Cooper acknowledged the challenges posed by the backgrounds of many asylum seekers, with over half originating from unstable countries like Afghanistan, Iran, and Syria, where repatriation agreements with the UK are lacking. The Labour strategy aims to create a more controlled and managed immigration system, moving away from the current chaos.