Illegal immigrants to have accounts frozen in government crackdown
More than 70m bank and building society accounts will be checked from January next year
ILLEGAL immigrants will have their accounts frozen as an incentive to leave Britain voluntarily.
About 70m accounts will be checked by the Home Office as part of the government's crackdown on illegal immigrants.
The Guardian reported the tactic will come into play from January next year, aimed at decreasing the number of illegal immigrants.
Around 6,000 visa overstayers and failed asylum seekers are expected to be picked up in the checks extending over banks and building societies.
Accounts found to have significant sums will be frozen, with officials telling the media outlet it would create a "powerful incentive" for those involved to leave voluntarily.
But Satbir Singh, the chief executive of the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants, raised concerns, saying: "The government’s own record shows it cannot be trusted even to implement this system properly.
"Immigration status is very complex, and the Home Office consistently gives out incorrect information and guidance.
"Migrants and ethnic minorities with every right to be here will be affected by the imposition of these new checks."
Caron Pope, Managing Partner at Fragomen, the world’s largest immigration law firm, said: "Good luck to the banks with this.
"Understanding visa endorsements and the status of foreign nationals is often complex.
"Employers already have to do this and often have to involve immigration lawyers when the situation is unclear. How banks can be expected to do this quarterly is quite frankly beyond me and the potential for things to go wrong is huge."
Barclays is just one of the banks who has made changes to their banking terms and conditions.
The bank said they were complying with the Immigration Act.
Status checks are required for anyone opening a new account according to legislation.
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