Legal News

A BBC investigation has found that some illegal immigrants in the UK are so desperate not to be deported back to their home countries that they are being smuggled back of out Britain to claim asylum in Italy – before being smuggled back in.

A BBC reporter covertly filmed 21 migrants being smuggled out of the UK in a lorry via Dover and taken to France. Most said that they planned to return to the UK illegally – and some registered as asylum seekers in Italy before heading back to the UK.

UK immigration law means that if migrants to the UK are registered as asylum seekers in Italy – where many first arrive in the EU – it is more likely that they will be returned to Italy rather than their country of origin.

The Italian authorities have called for more help in processing and recording illegal migrants who arrive on Italy’s shores, often in cargo ships from Libya and the Egyptian port of Alexandria.

Smugglers returning illegal migrants back to Europe from the UK are charging hundreds of pounds for doing so.

The BBC’s reporter – Afghan journalist Ajmal – posed as an illegal immigrant and handed over £300 to a people smuggler at Walthamstow in east London, before being driven to Dover with other migrants from Birmingham and Manchester heading back to France to avoid deportation from Britain.

The migrants were from Pakistan, India and Afghanistan. Some of the migrants had come to the UK on student visas which had expired – while others had entered the UK illegally and were trying to avoid deportation back to their home countries. They all said they would be returning to the UK using people traffickers to get them back in.

After a ferry journey, the migrants eventually arrived at Veurne – on the French border with Belgium – and were dispersed to other EU countries.

BBC reporter Ajmal was told how to find the nearest railway station – and advised the same people smugglers would traffic him back into the UK for £1,200.

After being confronted by the BBC, two members of the trafficking gang denied being people smugglers.

A spokesman for the Home Office told BBC News South East that if an illegal immigrant is discovered in the UK, they are detained – and most will then claim asylum.

They are then usually deported back to their home country, where their appeal is heard.
The government has introduced a fast-track detention process pending deportation from the UK – which in some cases has come under fire by asylum campaign groups for not allowing asylum seekers to go through the whole appeals process in the UK before being deported back to their own countries, where they may face persecution, or risk torture or even death.

From 8 April, the Port of Dover is introducing new passport checks for those leaving the country from the UK’s main ports.

Duncan Lewis Immigration Lawyers

Duncan Lewis is a leading firm of Legal Aid immigration lawyers able to advise on illegal entry to the UK, the fast-track detention process and asylum and asylum appeals.

Duncan Lewis has offices nationwide and can also advise on student visas and visa overstays in the UK, as well as five-year work permits, spouse visas and entrepreneur visas.

For expert legal advice on UK immigration law, call Duncan Lewis immigration lawyers on 020 7923 4020.

For urgent advice on immigration ad asylum in the UK, call the Duncan Lewis Emergency Hotline on 020 7275 2036, where a qualified and accredited immigration lawyer is available 24/7.