Government were warned over security weaknesses of visa system | Migration Watch UK

It emerged today that the Government were warned two years ago that the system of visa checks was inadequate for countries where there were particular concerns over terrorism. Think-tank Migrationwatch issued a warning on 23 August, 2005 that pressure on our visa sections could compromise security. The report said that large numbers of people from countries of […]

Potential immigration from Romania and Bulgaria

Summary1. Romania and Bulgaria are due to join the EU on 1 January 2007. 2. Labour market transitional arrangements will be virtually the same as for the first round of East European candidate countries. 3. Their combined population is nearly 30 million and their unemployment rates are 8% (Romania) and 10% (Bulgaria). Bulgaria has 700,000 […]

Home Affairs Select Committee (HAC) Report on Immigration Control | Migration Watch UK

On the 24 July, 2006 HAC issued a detailed report on immigration control. The press notice which summarises the report’s findings is available at here. This was followed by the Home Secretary’s proposals for reforming the systems and processes for managing immigration to the UK. A summary of the proposed changes and the implementation timescale is […]

The economic case for immigration. Migrationwatch dialogue with the Home Office.

BackgroundIn June 2005, Migrationwatch submitted to the EU Sub Committee of the House of Lords a critique of the government’s shifting arguments (seven in all) for the present large scale immigration. This was sent to the Home Office whose reply to each argument is below together with a final comment (in italics) by Migrationwatch. The […]

MW130 : Deportation of foreign criminals a case for urgent action | Migration Watch UK

Summary 1. Current arrangements are haphazard and unsatisfactory. Guidelines to the courts are unclear and statistics are seriously incomplete. It is simple for an offender to return under a false identity. 2. 9,000 of the 75,000 prisoners in custody are foreign nationals but only about 1,000 recommendations for deportation are made each year. The government […]

True illegal migrant numbers approaching 750,000 says report | Migration Watch UK

The current number of illegal immigrants could be up to 300,000 more than the figure in a recent government paper says a new report out today. (Read report.) The report, from think-tank Migrationwatch says that the government figures did not include UK born children of illegal immigrants. More importantly, they were also four years out of […]