The maximum penalty for illegal migration is to increase from six months to four years, the Interior Ministry announced at the weekend. The project is part of an asylum reform that is to be introduced into parliament on Tuesday. The draft also provides for an increase in the maximum sentence for traffickers from 14 years to life imprisonment.
British Home Secretary Priti Patel described the plans as “fair but consistent”. Britain will continue to welcome refugees in safe and legal ways, but wants to prevent abuse of the asylum system and take action against illegal incidents.
According to the Home Office, “those traveling to the UK in small boats are very likely to come from a safe EU country where they can apply for asylum”. In this case, Britain would be chosen by migrants as a “preferred destination” and reached via “illegal routes”. The ministry called such an approach “asylum shopping”.
Despite warnings from the authorities about the dangers on the busy shipping route, the illegal crossings of migrants via the Channel have recently increased significantly. In the first six months of 2021 alone, a total of almost 6,000 migrants made the dangerous crossing. According to the British news agency PA 8417 arrivals were registered throughout 2020.
The organization Amnesty International (AI) sharply criticized the British government’s plans: “Instead of deliberately spreading misleading myths and falsehoods about asylum and immigration, the Home Office should create safe routes for the few people who are fleeing persecution and want to apply for asylum here” said UK AI Refugee Officer Steve Valdez-Symonds.
