Automatic Deportation for Foreign Criminals: Shabana Mahmood's New Laws

British Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood is set to introduce new laws that would allow for the automatic deportation of foreign nationals who have committed serious crimes in the UK. The move comes amid controversy over asylum seekers who have committed crimes while being housed in taxpayer-funded hotels. Currently, foreigners must serve at least half of their sentence in a UK prison before the Government can remove them from the country, a requirement that is set to be reduced to 30pc from September and removed entirely from next year.

Ms. Mahmood, who is the daughter of Pakistani immigrants, has stated that she is "horrified" by the crimes committed by overseas nationals and believes that they must "lose their right to call our country home." The changes would see all deported criminals barred from re-entering the UK for life, with exceptions for those serving life sentences for murder or who could pose a danger to the public if released.

Key Takeaways:

• The new laws aim to automatically deport foreign nationals who have committed serious crimes in the UK, with the exception of those who could pose a danger to the public.
• The current requirement for foreigners to serve at least half of their sentence in a UK prison would be reduced to 30pc from September and removed entirely from next year.
• There are currently more than 10,000 migrants in Britain's prisons, with their incarceration costing the taxpayer half a billion pounds every year.
• Ms. Mahmood has increased the rate of removals by 14 per cent compared to the last Tory government, with her teams identifying inmates for deportation and sending them to the Home Office.
• The changes would see all deported criminals barred from re-entering the UK for life, with exceptions for those serving life sentences for murder or who could pose a danger to the public if released.
• Robert Jenrick, the shadow justice Secretary, has criticized the move, stating that only an overhaul of human rights laws would allow deportations of criminals to take place unimpeded.

Statistics:

• 10,000+ migrants are currently in Britain's prisons, with their incarceration costing the taxpayer half a billion pounds every year.
• The rate of removals has increased by 14 per cent compared to the last Tory government.
• 425 ofences have been committed by at least 200 people living in taxpayer-funded hotels, according to The Telegraph.

Sources:

• Writing for The Telegraph, Shabana Mahmood
• The Telegraph, "200 asylum seekers in taxpayer-funded hotels charged with 425 offences this year"
• The Telegraph, "Justice Secretary vows to crackdown on foreign criminals after 'horrifying' crimes in UK prisons"