UK ministers to reveal proposals for offshore centres for asylum seekers

UK ministers will be revealing proposals for a suite of new laws paving the way for offshore centres for asylum seekers and criminal charges for migrants who have 'knowingly' arrived in the UK without permission.

The nationality and borders bill has been described by the Home Office as containing “the most radical changes to the broken asylum system in decades”. This makes it harder for those who enter illegally to stay in the UK.

As per home secretary, Priti Patel, it is a part of her mission to crack down on 'vile criminals' who run smuggling operations across the channel.

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If the laws are passed, people-smuggling will have to go through tougher sentencing, up to life imprisonment.

Patel further said that she is going to make it easier to remove migrants who have arrived in the country unlawfully. Also, with the passing of these laws, it will be easier to punish countries that refuse to take back their citizens with a new 'power to control visa availability' for legal entrants to the UK.

The plans will also provide the removal of asylum seekers to offshore centres where they can be housed while their claims, or appeals, are being processed.

The Guardian quotedPatel saying, "For too long, our broken asylum system has lined the pockets of the vile criminal gangs who cheat the system. This isn’t fair to the vulnerable people who need protection or the British public who pay for it. It’s time to act".

She added, “This legislation delivers on what the British people have voted for time and time again – for the UK to take full control of its borders. It paves the way for a fair but firm system that will break the business model of the gangs that facilitate dangerous and illegal journeys to the UK while speeding up the removal of those with no right to be here".