UK Plans Expand Foreign Criminal Deportations To 23 Countries

The UK government, led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer's Labour administration, announced plans to expand a deportation scheme requiring some foreign nationals to have appeals against convictions heard from abroad, increasing the number of countries covered to 23. This "deport now appeal later" initiative allows convicted foreign criminals, whose human rights claims have been refused, to be deported before their appeals, which are conducted via video link from their home countries, aiming to reduce delays that previously allowed offenders to remain in the UK for extended periods. Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood also revealed intentions to change the law to enable immediate deportation of most foreign criminals upon receiving prison sentences, a move expected to save public funds and ease prison overcrowding, as foreign offenders currently constitute about 12% of the prison population. The government highlighted that nearly 5,200 foreign nationals had been deported since July 2024, marking a 14% increase year-on-year, and emphasized the policy as a response to domestic pressure amid rising support for Nigel Farage's right-wing Reform UK party, which has made immigration and crime central issues. Critics have called for further measures, including suspending visas or foreign aid to countries that refuse to accept deportees, while government officials stressed the importance of enforcing immigration laws to prevent exploitation of the appeals process. Ongoing discussions continue with additional countries to expand the scheme further.