The British government intends to ban foreign nationals convicted of sexual offenses from being granted asylum, Reuters reported, citing Home Secretary Yvette Cooper.
According to Cooper, the government is reviewing current regulations, arguing that the way courts currently interpret the law poses a problem. As part of this review, an amendment will be introduced to the new Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill. The amendment will prohibit granting refugee status to individuals whose crimes require them to be registered as sex offenders.
The Home Secretary emphasized that such offenders should not benefit from protections intended for refugees.
As of the end of 2024, nearly 91,000 asylum applications were still pending in the UK. In January, the government reported a record number of deportations since 2018 — 16,400 people. Meanwhile, the number of migrants arriving across the English Channel in small boats continues to rise: over 10,000 have arrived since the beginning of the year — a 40% increase compared to the same period in 2024.
It was also reported that the UK is considering a migration agreement with the EU, which would allow it to negotiate with individual member states on the return of certain migrants.
