UK Minister: Visas of Suspected Anti-Semites can be Withdrawn and Individuals may Face Expulsion
Robert Jenrick said he asked community groups as well as police chiefs to flag behaviours such as anti-Semitism and glorifying terrorism.
Visitors who are accused of anti-Semitic behaviour may be expelled from the UK even if the alleged behaviour falls below a criminal standard, the immigration minister said on Wednesday.
Robert Jenrick said those who glorify terrorists are not entitled to the “privilege” of staying in the UK, but the minister declined to comment on specific cases as the Home Office is reviewing “a small number” of visas.
Mr. Jenrick and policing minister Chris Philp wrote to chief constables in England and Wales on Friday, asking them to flag visa holders who “support terrorism and intimidate vulnerable communities” in pro-Palestinian demonstrations.
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On Wednesday, Mr. Jenrick revealed they had also written to Jewish community organisations, asking them be bring “to the attention of the Home Office” visa holders they come across “whose behavior falls well below British values.”
“We will consider those cases in accordance with the legal process and if it meets the legal bar that somebody is a risk to national security, or their presence in the UK is not conducive to the public interest, then we will revoke their visa and remove them,” he told Time Radio. “And the first such cases are being considered.”
Asked if people can be removed from the country for waving a Palestinian flag at a protest, the minister said they won’t.
“We believe in freedom of speech,” he said.
But he rejected the premise that alleged anti-Semitic behaviour needs to meet the criminal threshold for visas to be revoked.
“I think there is conduct which is below the criminal standard which is wrong, will be accepted as wrong by most reasonable people. And if those people are not British citizens, they’re just visitors to our country enjoying the privileges of living here being amongst fellow British people, then I’m afraid their visas will be revoked and they should leave the country,” he said.
He declined to get into specific cases because of ongoing legal processes.
On Tuesday, Mr. Jenrick told Parliament the Home Office was reviewing “a small number” of cases.
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