UK Tightens Asylum Policies to Exclude Foreign Sex Offenders

In an effort to strengthen border security, the UK government announced it will exclude foreign sex offenders from asylum protections. This policy is part of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill aimed at controlling migration and expediting deportations. Meanwhile, AI will aid decision-making in asylum cases.

The UK government is intensifying its border security measures by denying asylum protections to foreign sex offenders, declared on Monday. This is part of Prime Minister Keir Starmer's Labour government's strategy to address public dissatisfaction over asylum-seeking migrants and associated economic burdens.

The proposed amendment to the Border Security, Asylum, and Immigration Bill aims to block any foreign nationals with criminal histories from receiving refugee status. 'Sex offenders who pose a risk should not benefit from UK refugee protections,' emphasized interior minister Yvette Cooper in an official statement.

The government further plans to set new benchmarks to expedite the asylum decision-making process and utilize AI technology for efficient processing. As of the end of 2024, there were still around 90,686 pending asylum cases. The government accomplished its goal of the highest removal rates since 2018, with 16,400 people deported as of January.

(With inputs from agencies.)