Labour Under Pressure to Send Back Failed Asylum Seekers and Criminals in New Law Changes

The European Union (EU) is planning to change its refugee laws, which could push the UK to make similar changes to its immigration rules. The EU’s proposal aims to make it easier to deport asylum seekers whose applications have been rejected, as well as migrants involved in crime. If these changes happen, the UK might also feel pressure to tighten its own immigration policies.

The EU is looking to update the 1951 Refugee Convention, a law that protects asylum seekers from being sent back to their home countries if their life or freedom is at risk. A proposal by Poland, seen by The Times, suggests that updating these rules could spark discussions worldwide, including in the UK.

Angela Sharma, an immigration law expert from Church Court Chambers, explained that if the EU successfully changes its interpretation of human rights protections, the UK may be pressured to follow suit by introducing stricter immigration rules.

For the UK to enforce such changes, the government would first have to review existing migration policies. Sharma pointed out that the UK would need to create clearer policies to allow for the deportation of asylum seekers who were initially removed from the EU, as well as set up faster deportation processes.

EU ministers recently discussed these proposed changes, arguing that the 1951 Refugee Convention was created in a very different time—right after World War II—when the world faced different geopolitical challenges. According to the EU’s position, today’s situation is much different, with European countries struggling to manage large numbers of migrants. Some governments worry that certain migrant groups do not integrate into society, but instead create separate communities that may not follow European values.

Migration remains a controversial topic in both the UK and the EU. Many European countries are introducing tougher immigration policies, and there has been a rise in political movements against mass migration.

In the UK, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has faced criticism for not making immigration reform a key part of his political agenda. However, if the UK decides to tighten its immigration rules, Sharma explained that Starmer may need to negotiate with the EU.

One possibility is that the UK could make agreements with the EU to send back failed asylum seekers to the European country they traveled through, instead of allowing them to stay in the UK. This could also lead to closer cooperation with countries like France to strengthen border security and stop illegal migration.

While such agreements could improve UK-EU relations, they would likely come with political and financial costs. As the EU works to make asylum and deportation processes stricter, the UK must decide whether to align with these reforms or take an independent approach to its immigration policies.