The UK describes its “biggest reform in decades” in the asylum system

LONDON, March 24 (EFE) .- British Home Secretary Priti Patel on Wednesday described a new immigration plan described as “the biggest reform in the UK’s asylum system for decades”.

In a statement to various local media outlets, the interior minister explained that the current immigration model in the country was “overflowing” and that the conservative government would reveal how it planned to treat people entering the country “illegally”.

According to a statement from the Interior Ministry, the current asylum system is “collapsing under the pressure of what constitutes illegal means, facilitated by criminals who transport people to enter this country, and which often leads to deaths”.

“If people come (to the UK) illegally, they will not have the same rights as those who do so legally, and it will be very difficult for them to stay,” the minister said.

In addition, “For those who have traveled through a safe country like France to get here, there will be no immediate entry into the asylum application process, which is what is happening today.”

According to the minister, the new immigration rules “will prevent the misuse of the system by posing as dishonest children and introducing strict and accurate age estimates.”

“The profits from illegal immigration to the UK will no longer endanger human traffickers with the new life sentence,” Patel said, believing the plans would “save lives” and “undoubtedly be better”.

According to official data, about 8,500 people crossed the English Channel in small boats to the UK last year, most of them seeking asylum in the country. It is estimated that 800 people have crossed the canal illegally this year.

The ministry noted, “For the first time, people entering the UK legally or illegally will be affected by how their asylum application progresses and their status in this country if their application is successful.

Under the new plans, those who enter the UK illegally will be deported if they travel through a safe country where they may have “applied for asylum”.

In addition, access to social benefits and family reunions may be restricted and judicial processes will be reformed to “expedite” the eviction of persons whose asylum applications have been rejected.

These measures, known as the Sovereign Boundaries Bill, would also make it difficult to grant refugee status on the basis of “unsubstantiated” statements. EFE

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