Changes to immigration law being considered by ministers would make it easier to declare migrants who cross the Channel in small boats permanently “inadmissible” to the asylum system.
At the moment, the Home Office can classify asylum seekers as inadmissible only if there is an agreement with another country to which they can be removed. The lack of such agreements means that only 21 migrants have been removed under the rules since they were introduced two years ago.
The proposals would remove the requirement for removal arrangements before a migrant’s claim could be rejected as inadmissible.
The change is due to be part of legislation, expected next month, to meet Rishi Sunak’s pledge to bar from applying for asylum all migrants who arrive in the
