Big Problems for Illegal Migrants as New Plan to Stop Them from Entering the UK is Revealed

A new Border Security, Asylum, and Immigration Bill will be presented to MPs in the next two weeks, introducing tougher measures to combat trafficking gangs. One of the key proposals in the Bill is giving authorities the legal right to seize mobile phones from individuals arriving in the UK on small boats. This move aims to disrupt smuggling operations and prosecute those responsible for steering the boats.

According to sources, the Bill will require new arrivals to hand over their devices upon reaching the UK. The government believes this will help investigators track down and dismantle the criminal networks behind dangerous crossings. It will also introduce a new criminal offense targeting those identified as steering the boats.

Previously, the Home Office was found to have acted unlawfully when seizing phones from small boat arrivals without legal grounds, following a 2021 court challenge by asylum seekers who argued it cut them off from contacting their families. The new Bill, if passed, will officially give the Home Office these powers.

The Bill, championed by Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, is part of Labour’s pledge to crack down on people smugglers. By Friday, over 1,000 people had already arrived in the UK this year on small boats, with an average of 55 per vessel. Labour has promised to treat people smugglers with the same seriousness as terrorists, introducing “terrorism-style” laws to target them.

The legislation also aims to strengthen the Border Security Command’s ability to identify and disrupt smuggling gangs. However, human rights groups, like the Migrant Rights Network, have criticized the plans to seize phones, arguing that this would further traumatize asylum seekers by cutting off their connection to family and memories after already enduring difficult journeys.