The Conservative Party has unveiled a bold new policy proposing the automatic deportation of all foreign nationals in the UK who receive a criminal conviction.
Under this plan, the existing threshold—where only those sentenced to at least a year in prison face deportation—would be scrapped entirely.
This proposed amendment to the government’s Borders Bill would require backing from Labour MPs to pass. If implemented, it would also override exceptions previously upheld by the European Court of Human Rights, streamlining the process of removing foreign offenders.
The policy would apply to all foreign nationals, including asylum seekers, as well as individuals convicted of immigration-related offences.
Controversy Over ‘Unworkable’ Policy
While Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp defended the measure as “simple,” refugee advocacy groups have condemned it as impractical and extreme.
Tim Naor Hilton, Chief Executive of Refugee Action, called the amendment both “terrifying” and “ludicrously unworkable,” arguing that it could lead to the deportation of vulnerable people fleeing war and persecution. He warned that such rhetoric only serves to “inflame racial hatred and encourage violence on our streets.”
Amnesty International UK has urged the government to reject the proposal and instead repeal recent immigration laws that, according to the organisation, undermine the UK’s international legal obligations. Steve Valdez-Symonds, Director of Migrant Rights at Amnesty UK, described the proposed amendment as a “dog-whistle commitment to hostility towards human rights.”
Visa Ban for Countries That Refuse to Take Back Nationals
Alongside the deportation policy, the Conservatives also plan to introduce an amendment to the Immigration Act 1971, preventing the UK from issuing visas to nationals of countries that refuse to accept their own citizens—including those convicted of crimes.
Imran Hussain, Executive Director of External Affairs at the Refugee Council, warned that this move could result in refugees being criminalised for crossing the Channel, detained indefinitely, and left in legal limbo. “It’s a recipe for chaos and huge costs,” he said.
Philp defended the proposal, arguing that the government has a duty to protect British citizens from dangerous offenders. “We can’t allow endless appeals and prevarication. If a country refuses to take back its own criminals, the UK should stop issuing new visas to its nationals.”
With the debate heating up, the success of these proposals will depend on parliamentary support—while critics continue to push back against what they see as an increasingly hostile approach to immigration policy.
