Yvette Cooper Vows Unprecedented Crackdown on Illegal Migration

[Social Media]

 

Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, has made a resolute commitment to intensify the UK's efforts against illegal immigration, pledging to detain more illegal migrants and execute a record number of deportations. This initiative marks a significant shift in the government’s approach, as Cooper aims to expand immigration detention centres to facilitate the removal of over 14,500 illegal migrants within the next six months. This ambitious target surpasses the removal rates seen since Theresa May’s tenure as prime minister in 2018.

 

As part of this intensified effort, nearly 300 additional spaces will be created at two controversial immigration removal centres, where illegal migrants and foreign criminals are held prior to their deportation. The Home Secretary has already redeployed some 300 Home Office caseworkers since the election, specifically to track down, detain, and return illegal migrants. Moreover, up to 100 new specialist intelligence and investigations officers are being recruited to the National Crime Agency (NCA). These officers will collaborate closely with European agencies to target and dismantle people-smuggling gangs.

 

The announcement of these measures on Wednesday is perceived as a strategic response to criticism regarding the government’s decision to discontinue the Rwanda deportation scheme. The scheme's termination had raised concerns that the UK lacked a deterrent against the increasing number of small boat crossings. However, Labour sources claim that their ongoing efforts to curb Channel crossings have already yielded positive results, with fewer migrants reaching British shores in small boats in the six weeks since the election compared to the same period in 2022 and 2021. A senior party source credited this reduction to the successful disruption of people-smuggling gangs' supply lines for boats, more aggressive tactics by French police on the beaches, and enhanced cooperation with European law enforcement agencies.

 

Yvette Cooper stated, “We are taking strong and clear steps to boost our border security and ensure the rules are respected and enforced. Our new Border Security Command is already gearing up, with new staff being urgently recruited and additional staff already stationed across Europe. They will work with European enforcement agencies to find every route into smashing the criminal smuggling gangs organizing dangerous boat crossings which undermine our border security and put lives at risk. And by increasing enforcement capabilities and returns, we will establish a system that is better controlled and managed, in place of the chaos that has blighted the system for far too long.”

 

The Home Office has confirmed that the additional 290 detention spaces will be created at the immigration removal centres in Campsfield, Kidlington, Oxon, and Haslar in Gosport, Hants. This expansion is intended to support the higher pace of removals. Officials are also exploring options for further increases in detention capacity, which currently stands at 2,300 spaces. These centres were reopened by the Conservative government despite local opposition and accusations that the practice of detention was “immoral.” Left-wing Labour MPs, including John McDonnell, the former shadow chancellor, and Diane Abbott, the former shadow home secretary, have signed a Commons motion condemning the “inhumane” detention of migrants at these facilities.

 

Nevertheless, the Home Office asserted that Yvette Cooper is resolute in her determination to expand detention space to facilitate a “major increase in returns and enforcement of immigration and asylum rules.” Her goal is to achieve the highest rate of removals over the next six months, exceeding the two previous six-month highs of 13,410 in 2018 and 14,389 last year. The Home Office has reported that nine flights have already returned migrants since Labour assumed power, including the largest-ever chartered removal flight of 200 illegal migrants.

 

Additionally, new returns agreements have been established with several countries, including Vietnam, which has seen the largest increase in Channel migrants, as well as Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Nigeria, Serbia, and Georgia. These agreements follow the fast-track removal deal previously struck with Albania. The Home Secretary has yet to appoint the new head of the Home Office’s Border Security Command, which will integrate officers from the NCA, Border Force, and MI5 to combat people-smuggling gangs.

 

The first tranche of 100 new NCA officers, announced on Wednesday, represents the initial phase of a broader recruitment drive aiming to enlist up to 1,000 officers. Hundreds of these officers will be stationed across Europe to collaborate with Europol and other agencies in dismantling people-smuggling operations at their source. This initiative is being funded by approximately £75 million saved from the cancellation of the Rwanda deportation scheme in its first year.

 

According to Labour, the number of migrants crossing the Channel since the election, totaling 5,720, is 14 percent lower than the same period last year, which saw 6,524 crossings. It is also more than 47 percent lower than the same period in 2022, when 8,444 migrants made the crossing. The Home Office has also pledged to intensify its crackdown on companies employing illegal migrants, with fines of up to £60,000 per worker, criminal prosecutions carrying maximum penalties of five-year jail sentences, and business closure orders.

 

However, James Cleverly, the shadow home secretary, has voiced criticism of these measures. “While more NCA resources and detention capacity are welcome, this is not nearly ambitious enough. Paired with their moves to cancel our deterrent, give an effective amnesty to thousands of illegal migrants, and failure to hire a head of their phantom border command, it doesn’t scratch the surface. It is time Labour offered a credible solution that will cut immigration and stop the boats,” Cleverly remarked, underscoring the ongoing political debate surrounding the UK’s approach to immigration and border control.

 

 

Credit: Daily Telegraph  2024-08-23

 

 

 

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[mdr224]

Sort of too late for the UK. Still hope for the US but the liberals here hope all countries become like UK in the future

[Smokey and the Bandit]

"Yvette Cooper stated, “We are taking strong and clear steps to boost our border security and ensure the rules are respected and enforced. "

 

Liar liar pants on fire..

[JonnyF]

Highly unlikely.

 

More likely she will reclassify them as "refugees" and give them a free house with the heating allowance Labour took away from old pensioners.

 

 

[newbee2022]

4 hours ago, Social Media said:

intensified effort,

Seems to me only empty phrases. 

The thing is that you might wish to deport some people.

However, if these countries wouldn't accept them......the deportees will stay forever.

So this statement of her's just for TV only to soothe people's minds.🥱

[Thingamabob]

This woman is a waste of taxpayers' money, as was her husband Ed Balls.

[Chomper Higgot]

1 hour ago, JonnyF said:

Highly unlikely.

 

More likely she will reclassify them as "refugees" and give them a free house with the heating allowance Labour took away from old pensioners.

 

 

Genuine refugees are welcome.

[Chomper Higgot]

5 hours ago, Social Media said:

Home Office caseworkers since the election, specifically to track down, detain, and return illegal migrants. Moreover, up to 100 new specialist intelligence and investigations officers are being recruited to the National Crime Agency (NCA). These officers will collaborate closely with European agencies to target and dismantle people-smuggling gangs.

It seems the Home Secretary has hit the ground running.

 

She of course needed to given the utter shambles the Tories left rotting.

 

5 hours ago, Social Media said:

This initiative marks a significant shift in the government’s approach, as Cooper aims to expand immigration detention centres to facilitate the removal of over 14,500 illegal migrants within the next six months.

 

Hardly a shift, it’s a development of the already imitated measures quoted above.

 

So the Home Secretary is getting on with the job he predecessor failed to do, and look ladies and gentlemen at who’s doing all the moaning.

[JonnyF]

11 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Genuine refugees are welcome.

 

And all the fakes can be deported ASAP. 

[Chomper Higgot]

7 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

 

And all the fakes can be deported ASAP. 

I absolutely agree, moreover I don’t know anyone that does disagree with deporting bogus asylum seekers.

 

But here’s a thing Jonny, they first need to have their claim assessed, something the last Government had failed to do resulting in a backlog of over a thousand cases while the Government cut funding to the immigration service.

 

As this article points out, the new Labour Home Secretary is taking positive steps to address the mess she inherited, I’m only surprised you aren’t backing her and wishing her every success.

[JonnyF]

5 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

I absolutely agree, moreover I don’t know anyone that does disagree with deporting bogus asylum seekers.

 

But here’s a thing Jonny, they first need to have their claim assessed, something the last Government had failed to do resulting in a backlog of over a thousand cases while the Government cut funding to the immigration service.

 

As this article points out, the new Labour Home Secretary is taking positive steps to address the mess she inherited, I’m only surprised you aren’t backing her and wishing her every success.

 

If I believed her I would back her.

 

I strongly suspect this is simply an attempt to placate the vast number of people in the UK who are absolutely fed up with the current situation. An attempt to reverse the tanking popularity of Starmer and his government. His Stalin impersonation has failed so now we have the empty words from Cooper. Lip service. She will do nothing. 

[Chomper Higgot]

8 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

 

If I believed her I would back her.

 

I strongly suspect this is simply an attempt to placate the vast number of people in the UK who are absolutely fed up with the current situation. An attempt to reverse the tanking popularity of Starmer and his government. His Stalin impersonation has failed so now we have the empty words from Cooper. Lip service. She will do nothing. 

So those extra 300 places in detention centers, an extra 300 case officers, 100 new intelligence officers.

 

Is The Telegraph telling lies?

[JonnyF]

12 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

So those extra 300 places in detention centers, an extra 300 case officers, 100 new intelligence officers.

 

Is The Telegraph telling lies?

 

"will be" recruited.

 

"are being" created.

 

I suspect it is not the Telegraph that is lying. 

[Chomper Higgot]

9 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

 

"will be" recruited.

 

"are being" created.

 

I suspect it is not the Telegraph that is lying. 

Some folk are only happy when they’re miserable.

[retarius]

Yes Mrs Balls, I believe you. You will cut immigration by doing nothing when every other lying politician has increased it.

[JonnyF]

7 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Some folk are only happy when they’re miserable.

 

Some folk prefer politicians that tell the truth. 

[Chomper Higgot]

9 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

 

Some folk prefer politicians that tell the truth. 

Says Johnson fanboy.
 

But please do produce your evidence that the Home Secretary is lying.

[PETERTHEEATER]

Does she not understand that detaining illegal immigrants is not a solution. She must stop the boats coming by sticking a middle finger up to Europe and sinking the boats until the traffickers get the message. Enough is enough!

[Purdey]

Does anyone know WHERE she will be sending them to? Back to their home countries? Very expensive. Back to France? I doubt the French will agree. Certainly not Rwanda.

Destroying the gangs that arranged for them to enter the UK is probably the best idea. Confiscate the money they made.

[JonnyF]

7 minutes ago, Purdey said:

Does anyone know WHERE she will be sending them to? Back to their home countries? Very expensive. Back to France? I doubt the French will agree. Certainly not Rwanda.

Destroying the gangs that arranged for them to enter the UK is probably the best idea. Confiscate the money they made.

 

She hasn't got a clue about any of it. It's a soundbite to try and placate the people who are already regretting their decision to vote Labour into power. 

 

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2024/08/10/starmer-popularity-slumps-after-criticism-of-riots-respon/

 

She's good at holding up placards saying #refugeeswelcome. Governing? Not so much. 

[RayC]

1 hour ago, Purdey said:

Does anyone know WHERE she will be sending them to? Back to their home countries? Very expensive. Back to France? I doubt the French will agree. Certainly not Rwanda.

Destroying the gangs that arranged for them to enter the UK is probably the best idea. Confiscate the money they made.

 

You've hit the nail on the head. The key is destroying the gangs that arrange for illegal immigrants to enter the country.

 

The question is how do you do that? I imagine that most European governments would like to know the answer to that question.

 

Until then, we are stuck with those who will do no more than complain about any Labour government policy without giving it a second thought or a chance to succeed (or fail).

[herfiehandbag]

3 hours ago, Purdey said:

Does anyone know WHERE she will be sending them to? Back to their home countries? Very expensive. Back to France? I doubt the French will agree. Certainly not Rwanda.

Destroying the gangs that arranged for them to enter the UK is probably the best idea. Confiscate the money they made.

France has no wish to accept returned migrants, indeed every 50 that make it off their beaches are 50 less to worry about. For that reason alone, they are unlikely to do more than pay lip service to co-operation. Pragmatically ( and the French can be very pragmatic) the people smugglers are rather doing them a favour!

[RayC]

24 minutes ago, herfiehandbag said:

France has no wish to accept returned migrants, indeed every 50 that make it off their beaches are 50 less to worry about. For that reason alone, they are unlikely to do more than pay lip service to co-operation. Pragmatically ( and the French can be very pragmatic) the people smugglers are rather doing them a favour!

 

I agree and not it's not just France. I dare say every European country holds a similar view which, imo, is why Europe as a whole needs to act as one and search for a co-ordinated, collaborative solution to the problem.

[herfiehandbag]

5 hours ago, PETERTHEEATER said:

Does she not understand that detaining illegal immigrants is not a solution. She must stop the boats coming by sticking a middle finger up to Europe and sinking the boats until the traffickers get the message. Enough is enough!

Sinking the boats in the channel is NOT the solution. It is simply not acceptable, morally not politically.

 

The only practical solution is to interrupt and intercept the movement at the point of entry to Europe.

That of course is a problem in the Mediterranean and along the Balkan land borders. If we accept that is where the migrants must be stopped, and we are prepared to provide funds to assist with stopping illegal (economic) migration, then that is where the money should be spent, and the assets deployed, not in bungs to the Northern Departments of the French Republic. Once the migrants are in Calais, then the French just want to move them on.

 

That is what the Poles are doing. 

[CG1 Blue]

4 hours ago, RayC said:

 

You've hit the nail on the head. The key is destroying the gangs that arrange for illegal immigrants to enter the country.

 

The question is how do you do that? I imagine that most European governments would like to know the answer to that question.

 

Until then, we are stuck with those who will do no more than complain about any Labour government policy without giving it a second thought or a chance to succeed (or fail).

As you've stated most European governments don't know how to destroy the people smuggling gangs. Even with the overarching EU in place (which you'd think would enable member states to seek a solution together), the gangs continue unabated. 

So if the gangs can't be stopped the focus needs to be on deterrents.

 

The UK is way too fair toward illegal migrants, giving them housing, cash etc, plus once in the country it's almost impossible to deport them (as was shown by that Kurdish guy with multiple convictions who went on to push someone onto the tracks in the London Underground). 

 

The UK is a magnet for those reasons. We need to stop being so fair minded, and stop lining the pockets of immigration lawyers. 

[RayC]

47 minutes ago, herfiehandbag said:

Sinking the boats in the channel is NOT the solution. It is simply not acceptable, morally not politically.

 

 

Well said. It really is that simple. How anyone could disagree with your statement is beyond me

[RayC]

7 minutes ago, CG1 Blue said:

As you've stated most European governments don't know how to destroy the people smuggling gangs. Even with the overarching EU in place (which you'd think would enable member states to seek a solution together), the gangs continue unabated. 

So if the gangs can't be stopped the focus needs to be on deterrents.

 

The UK is way too fair toward illegal migrants, giving them housing, cash etc, plus once in the country it's almost impossible to deport them (as was shown by that Kurdish guy with multiple convictions who went on to push someone onto the tracks in the London Underground). 

 

The UK is a magnet for those reasons. We need to stop being so fair minded, and stop lining the pockets of immigration lawyers. 

 

Notwithstanding that I disagree that the UK is any more of a magnet for illegal immigrants than countries such as Germany, it's fair to point out that in the absence of a solution which destroys the smuggling gangs, deterrents are necessary. (Incidentally, I assume that you are not suggesting starving illegal immigrants).

 

However, the government faces no end of problems in this regard. Ignoring my misgivings about the treatment of these individuals, I would still question what form these deterrents should take: For example, would the Rwandan plan be successful i.e. have the desired deterrent effect? Is it financially viable? Other suggestions such as returning illegal migrants to France are imo non-starters unless the UK wants to provoke a major diplomatic incident with the EU (I discount blowing up the boats for the same reason as HeffieHandbag: Imo no civilised person should even contemplate the idea).

 

Controlling illegal immigration might not be impossible but - to restate the blindingly obvious - it certainly isn't easy.

[Regyai]

34 minutes ago, RayC said:

 

Well said. It really is that simple. How anyone could disagree with your statement is beyond me

 

Of course, a few Royal Marines given carte blanc would stop them all in a heartbeat....but never going to happen

 

It is of course all about risk vs reward

 

If you keep fete'ing them with god sent benefits when they arrive in country of course they'll keep on a'comin

 

Make it so there's no point in coming and they wont

 

(a big ask of "2-tier" Keir the very barrister who in his former life facilitated/incepted these very handouts they flock to)

 

3 minutes ago, RayC said:

 

Notwithstanding that I disagree that the UK is any more of a magnet for illegal immigrants than countries such as Germany, it's fair to point out that in the absence of a solution which destroys the smuggling gangs, deterrents are necessary. (Incidentally, I assume that you are not suggesting starving illegal immigrants).

 

However, the government faces no end of problems in this regard. Ignoring my misgivings about the treatment of these individuals, I would still question what form these deterrents should take: For example, would the Rwandan plan be successful i.e. have the desired deterrent effect? Is it financially viable? Other suggestions such as returning illegal migrants to France are imo non-starters unless the UK wants to provoke a major diplomatic incident with the EU (I discount blowing up the boats for the same reason as HeffieHandbag: Imo no civilised person should even contemplate the idea).

 

Controlling illegal immigration might not be impossible but - to restate the blindingly obvious - it certainly isn't easy.

 

 

Seemed very easy for Australia with the Viet 'boat people' when they successfully about turned that invasion

[CallumWK]

6 minutes ago, Regyai said:

If you keep fete'ing them with god sent benefits when they arrive in country of course they'll keep on a'comin

 

Make it so there's no point in coming and they wont

 

Right to the point, and this doesn't account for the UK only, but for the whole of the western world.

We need foreign workforce, so we are told, so if you want to come for working you're welcome.

Give them the first 2 months after arrival free in a low cost stay, without any other benefits other than maybe free food, and if they after 2 months don't have a job, return to sender

[mogandave]

12 minutes ago, CallumWK said:

 

Right to the point, and this doesn't account for the UK only, but for the whole of the western world.

We need foreign workforce, so we are told, so if you want to come for working you're welcome.

Give them the first 2 months after arrival free in a low cost stay, without any other benefits other than maybe free food, and if they after 2 months don't have a job, return to sender

Why do “we” need foreign workforce? 

 

I can’t speak to the UK, but in the US, the labor force participation rate is 62% overall, and 68% for men. 

 

The rich want cheap labor and a citizenry that is dependent on the government.