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<p>The Government is clear foreign nationals who abuse our hospitality by committing
crimes should be in no doubt of our determination to deport them and since January
2019 we have removed 8,441 foreign national offenders.</p><p> </p><p>We deal with
significant and complex challenges when seeking to deport FNOs. These challenges can
include travel documentation, late claims, late legal challenges and broader non-compliance
with a lawful returns process.</p><p>Despite having numerous opportunity to raise
grounds at any stage of the immigration process asylum claims, appeals and judicial
reviews are all commonly raised by people awaiting return, and generally lead to release
from detention – despite the vast majority not ultimately receiving a positive outcome
for the applicant when the claim is reviewed. The prevalence of this issue is increasing,
and evidence on how the system is open to abuse, which can divert resources away from
genuine victims of trafficking, persecution and serious harm, can be found in an article
under the 'deportation, removals and curtailment' on gov.uk. There is supporting data
in the report 'Issues raised by people facing return in immigration detention', which
can also be found on gov.uk. And whilst removals have continued, the COVID-19 pandemic
has affected our ability to deport as many FNOs as in previous years, due to travel
restrictions, fewer scheduled routes and significant disruption to other services
which support the removal of foreign criminals (such as court closures).</p><p> </p><p>The
New Plan for Immigration will make it easier and quicker to remove FNOs and those
with no right to be in the UK. The Nationality and Borders Bill will extend the period
an FNO can be removed from prison under the early removal scheme (ERS) from a maximum
of 9 months to 12 months, providing the minimum requisite period has been served.
The Bill will also streamline the appeals process by introducing an expanded one stop
process aimed at reducing the extent to which people can frustrate removals through
sequential or unmeritorious claims, appeals or legal action. A new power will also
be implemented to impose visa penalties on countries who do not cooperate with the
UK on the removal of their nationals who do not have a right to be in the UK.</p><p>
</p><p>Further information can be found in the New Plan for Immigration statement
and the factsheet - Nationality and Borders Bill, which can both be found on gov.uk.</p>
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