Cleverly Dodges Revealing Number of 33,085 Illegal Immigrants in ‘Limbo’ Who Could be Sent to Rwanda
Home Secretary James Cleverly along with two Home Office officials faced questioning from MPs regarding the fate of 33,085 illegal immigrants already residing in the UK.
During the grilling, Cleverly acknowledged that these immigrants, whose asylum applications are deemed “inadmissible,” could potentially be relocated to Rwanda.
The Home Affairs Committee probed Cleverly and the two officials about the status of these immigrants, who are currently out on bail and reside in temporary accommodations such as hotels.
When asked about the number of such immigrants, the Director General of the Migration and Borders group at the Home Office revealed that the figure stood at 33,085 as of December 28, 2023.
MP Tim Loughton highlighted the issue, stating that these immigrants have no legal status under the Illegal Migration Act and are effectively at large in the UK, potentially resulting in their status being classified as “missing.”
MP Asks How Many Illegal Immigrants Are ‘Missing’
However, Cleverly downplayed the claim of them being “missing,” stating that they are actively monitored, and efforts are made to return them to their country of origin. He also emphasized the need to pass the Safety of Rwanda Bill and secure other deportation agreements with various countries to manage the situation.
Cleverly Highlights Albania Deportation Agreement
He also cited the successful deportation agreement with Albania, illustrating that the situation could change based on future agreements with countries other than Rwanda.
When pressed to provide a specific number of immigrants that would be sent to Rwanda, Cleverly refrained from speculating, emphasizing the evolving nature of the situation. He also disapproved of the use of the term “backlog” to describe the situation and suggested “queue” as a more appropriate term.
Meanwhile, he also discussed bilateral efforts with the French interior minister to prevent people trafficking across the English Channel.
Furthermore, France has reportedly agreed to use drones to monitor the French coast to combat illegal immigration activities.
