In a bold move to curb illegal migration and ease prison overcrowding, the UK government has expanded its controversial “Deport Now, Appeal Later” scheme to include India among 23 countries, nearly tripling the list from eight, as announced by the Home Office on August 10, 2025. This policy, part of a broader crackdown on foreign criminals, allows for the immediate deportation of offenders after sentencing, with appeals conducted remotely via video link from their home countries.
The expanded list, which now includes Angola, Australia, Botswana, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Guyana, Indonesia, Kenya, Latvia, Lebanon, Malaysia, Uganda, and Zambia alongside India, targets foreign nationals whose human rights claims have been rejected. Previously, offenders from countries like Finland, Nigeria, Estonia, Albania, Belize, Mauritius, Tanzania, and Kosovo faced similar measures under the scheme, revived in 2023 by then-Conservative Home Secretary Suella Braverman after a 2017 Supreme Court ruling deemed it unlawful due to concerns over access to live evidence. The court later approved video-link appeals, enabling the policy’s reinstatement.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper emphasized the need to stop foreign criminals from “exploiting the immigration system” by lingering in the UK during lengthy appeals, stating, “Those who commit crimes in our country cannot be allowed to manipulate the system.” The policy aims to reduce the burden on taxpayers, with foreign offenders—comprising 12% of the UK’s prison population—costing an average of £54,000 per prison place annually.
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Since the Labour government took office in July 2024, deportations have surged by 14%, with 5,200 foreign nationals removed, according to Home Office figures. The government has also invested £5 million to deploy specialist staff across nearly 80 jails in England and Wales to expedite removals. Additionally, new legislation under the Borders Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill will strip asylum seekers convicted of serious sex offenses of refugee protection rights, further tightening the system.
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) announced plans to amend existing laws, allowing most foreign prisoners serving fixed-term sentences to be deported after serving just 30% of their sentence, down from 50%. This change, which excludes terrorists and murderers serving life sentences, aims to free up prison space and save costs, with legislation set to be tabled in the next parliamentary session. Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood declared, “If you abuse our hospitality and break our laws, we will send you packing.”
Foreign Secretary David Lammy highlighted ongoing diplomatic efforts to expand the scheme further, noting, “We’re investing in international partnerships that uphold our security and make our streets safer.” However, critics, including former Conservative Justice Secretaries Alex Chalk and Robert Buckland, warn that the policy risks undermining justice by potentially allowing serious offenders, such as rapists or burglars, to evade full prison terms in their home countries.
The inclusion of India, a key UK partner, has sparked debate, with only a fraction of the 772 prisoners from the 15 newly added countries being Indian, according to MoJ data. The policy’s expansion reflects the Labour government’s response to domestic pressures, including rising anti-immigration sentiment fueled by parties like Reform UK, as Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s administration grapples with a reported decline in popularity.
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