The Illegal Immigration Bill was introduced to the House of Commons in March. It proposes a cap of migrants entering the UK via safe routes each year (to be determined by parliament) and accelerates the removal of illegal immigrants. The Home Office currently has a backlog of over 160,000 immigration cases.
Suella Braverman, the home secretary, stated to MPS , “that there is more than 50% chance” the provisions in the new law “may not be compatible with” the rights guaranteed by the European Convention on Human Rights. This raised concerns among the legal community.
Lubna Shuja was the president of the Law Society of England and Wales. She stated that the Law Society would spend time to evaluate the bill’s legality. She added that she was concerned about the lack of public consultation with lawyers to ensure that the bill is practical, allows for asylum claims, and is in compliance with international law.
In 2022, more than 45,000 people tried to cross the English Channel. This was a significant risk for their safety. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak adopted the “stop boats”slogan.