The British government is expanding the policy of deportation of convicted foreigners

The British government announced the extension of the deportation policy of convicted foreigners to their homelands by 15 countries, including India, Bulgaria and Australia, which increases their total number to 23. In 2024, the most deported criminals came from Albania, Poland and Romania.

The program known under the name “Deport now, appeal (from the judgment – PAP) later” allows you to send back foreigners who committed crimes and are in prisons in England and Wales, to their homelands before they will be able to appeal against the decision of the British court. They have the right to take part in appeal hearings, but in their countries via a video link.

The list of new countries included, among others Canada, India, Australia, Bulgaria, Latvia, Angola, Kenya. In total, the number of countries increased to 23, which is three times more than when this program started in 2014. The British Ministry of the Interior announced that more countries could join in the future.

The head of the Interior Ministry Yvette Cooper said that the extension of the program aims to prevent foreign prisoners from “using the British immigration system” and accelerating the process of their deportation.

According to data published in April, at the end of 2024 there were 10,355 foreigners in prisons in England and Wales, which is 12 percent. prisoners. The average cost of staying in a prison of one person for a year is about 54 thousand. pounds.

After British citizens, the largest number of prisoners are Albanians (11 percent), Poles (8 percent) and Romania (7 %). According to data from the Ministry of the Interior, the citizens of these countries were most often deported from Great Britain.

From London Marta Zabłocka (PAP)

MZB/ AP/