UK analyzes another controversial measure to stop illegal immigration

The British government is analyzing the possibility of installing electronic locators for migrants crossing the English Channel in small boats, according to official sources.

The move drew criticism and reaction from human rights groups.

The Times first reported on the Home Office project, which will see migrants fitted with GPS locators.

According to the outlet, the measure is aimed at preventing migrants from disappearing if they cannot be found in detention centres.

“We are looking at all options to keep illegal entry under control,” Interior Minister Suella Braverman told the BBC’s Breakfast programme.

Braverman cited the need for “increased detention capacity” and reinforced the administration’s commitment to the Illegal Immigration Act, which aims to “detain and deport illegal immigrants more quickly.”

The law states that any migrant who enters the UK unofficially will be deported and barred from re-entry, without the option to apply for British citizenship.

Likewise, the government has a legal duty to send them to Rwanda or another “safe” country.

However, detention capacity is limited, leading the government to consider other options, such as requiring asylum seekers to report regularly to the Home Office, according to The Times.

Human rights groups have criticized the use of pagers.

According to British media reports, Enver Solomon, director of the Refugee Council, said: “It treats people as objects, rather than people seeking safety.”

Meanwhile, plans to send migrants to Rwanda are currently on hold.

In June, the UK Court of Appeal ruled that Rwanda could not be considered a safe third country because of the risks faced by migrants. Although the government is appealing the decision, Braverman acknowledged on BBC Radio 4’s “Today” program that parts of the Illegal Immigration Act will depend on Rwandan policy.

“Law enforcement is closely related to our partnership with Rwanda,” he said.

The fate of many migrants remains up in the air as the dispute continues and Britain seeks to limit crossings of the English Channel.

In April 2023, the UK introduced a controversial measure to accommodate cross-Channel asylum seekers.

A barge dubbed “Bibby Stockholm” has been parked off the coast of Portland in Dorset, southern England, and can accommodate up to 500 people.

However, the first 39 occupants were not welcomed until August due to delays caused by fire safety concerns.

But on August 11, a health emergency led to the evacuation of its occupants due to the presence of a bacterium that produces a severe variant of pneumonia.

The Home Office is also considering the use of tents as a housing solution for asylum seekers in a move aimed at cutting costs.

By the end of March 2023, the UK had received over 47,000 applicants in hotels across the country.

The government has kept around 5,000 vacant hotel beds as a measure to prevent overcrowding in detention centres, according to Home Office sources.

As of June this year, more than 175,000 people were awaiting a decision on whether to grant them refugee status, a 44% increase on last year. (Teram)