Immigration minister Seema Malhotra is calling out Reform’s ambitious immigration cut plans as nothing but “gimmicks.” The proposals, announced earlier this week, include the controversial idea of deporting 600,000 people through deals with countries like Iran and Afghanistan’s Taliban. However, it seems Reform is already backtracking on parts of their “mass deportation” strategy, especially concerning women and children.
Speaking in Portsmouth, Malhotra criticised Reform’s plan, claiming it fell apart within just two days, highlighting flaws in their facts and figures. She doesn’t believe these quick fixes address the real issues, considering them mere distractions rather than solutions.
Malhotra emphasises a comprehensive approach, focusing on the safe return of people without asylum claims to their countries or safe third countries, following agreements like the one with France. She pointed out that they’ve already returned over 35,000 people since the last election.
Her strategy prioritises dismantling criminal networks involved in illegal immigration. New powers are being introduced to boost law enforcement and enhance international intelligence sharing. The goal is to speed up the processing of asylum applications, a task complicated by a pre-existing backlog.
On the topic of asylum hotels, Malhotra is determined to eliminate them by shifting to alternative accommodations. The number of such hotels has already been halved from a peak under the previous administration.
She criticises past governments for relying too much on hotels, which has been due to delays in processing asylum cases. By clearing the backlog and returning those without rights to stay through new agreements, the current government aims for a more effective system. With increased arrests of those in criminal gangs and new legislation to disrupt illegal activities, Malhotra is confident of doing more than her predecessors to make borders secure.
It’s a bold approach and many are waiting to see if these plans create significant change. Is this the real action we need, or just another political debate? Share your thoughts!