Labour government aims for high removal rate through re-opening detention centres
- The new Labour government in the UK is planning to achieve a high rate of removals by re-opening immigration detention centres.
- This initiative is aimed at surpassing the removal rates seen during Theresa May's premiership.
- The move has sparked discussions and concerns about immigration policies and human rights.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has announced plans to increase the UK's immigration detention capacity by adding 290 beds at Campsfield House and Haslar. This initiative is part of a broader strategy to address the challenges facing the UK’s immigration and asylum system. A Home Office source emphasized the importance of ensuring the welfare and safety of individuals in detention, stating that removals will be conducted "with dignity and respect." The long-term goal is to expand capacity to 1,000 beds across both sites. The government aims to enhance the efficiency of returns, which have reportedly decreased by 40% since 2010. This effort follows a previous £700 million plan that failed to result in any removals due to legal challenges, with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer labeling it "dead and buried." In addition to the new beds, the National Crime Agency (NCA) will recruit 100 specialist intelligence officers to bolster its ongoing investigations into people smuggling and trafficking. Despite these measures, junior Home Office minister Seema Malhotra could not provide a timeline for when these changes might impact the number of small boat crossings. Recent figures indicated that 206 migrants crossed the English Channel in just one day, bringing the total for 2024 to 19,294. A Labour source criticized the previous government's handling of border security, asserting that there are "no quick fixes" and emphasizing the need for a more controlled and managed immigration system.