| New initiative on illegal immigration in the | | | | day are wasted on identity cards?" |
| UK... four hundred and forty police officers | | | | |
| are being brought in. | | | | Crimestoppers |
| | | | |
| "People-trafficking and all its associated | | | | Under the plans, members of the public will - |
| evils is one of the fastest-growing and most | | | | for the first time - be able to report |
| vicious crimes, yet the government's policy | | | | illegal workers and illegal immigrants using |
| so far has been one of neglect." | | | | the free Crimestoppers telephone line from 1 |
| | | | January. |
| David Davis | | | | |
| | | | I'm fearful that's going to lead to |
| Shadow home secretary | | | | discrimination against anybody who looks as |
| | | | though they might be a foreigner |
| Home Secretary, John Reid, has unveiled plans | | | | |
| for 800 new immigration staff - an increase | | | | Keith Best |
| of 25%. | | | | |
| | | | Chief Executive |
| In the plan, Britons involved in | | | | |
| people-smuggling will be arrested, the public | | | | Immigration Advisory Service |
| will be encouraged to report suspects and | | | | |
| firms will face larger fines. | | | | The government has already said it would be |
| | | | doubling the budget for deportations to |
| The 400 police constables and 40 sergeants | | | | nearly £300m, and a bill tackling |
| moving across to the Immigration and | | | | deportations was included in last week's |
| Nationality Directorate will be joined by 360 | | | | Queen's Speech. |
| newly-recruited immigration officers. | | | | |
| | | | And, by the end of 2007, ministers intend to |
| But police are "badly needed" on the beat, | | | | create 650 extra detention spaces for illegal |
| say the Conservatives, whilst the Lib Dems | | | | immigrants |
| want "new, not redeployed" staff. | | | | |
| | | | The measures are seen as a response to |
| However, a Home Office spokeswoman insisted: | | | | criticism from political opponents about a |
| "We are very clear that we do not want this | | | | perceived failure to deport enough of those |
| to have an impact on police officers' | | | | identified as being in the UK illegally. |
| frontline work. There won't be any police | | | | |
| officers taken off the front line." | | | | There were nearly 5,000 deportations in the |
| | | | last three-month period for which figures |
| But shadow home secretary, David Davis, | | | | were available - a record - but it estimated |
| criticised the government's record on the | | | | that 500,000 people remain in the UK |
| subject. | | | | illegally. |
| | | | |
| "Over the last nine years, we have actually | | | | Penalising Businesses |
| seen immigration officers instructed not to | | | | |
| arrest illegal immigrants, merely to meet the | | | | The idea of penalising businesses is |
| prime minister's artificial targets on | | | | apparently not favoured by the Immigration |
| removing failed asylum-seekers. | | | | Advisory Service, which said firms would |
| People-trafficking and all its associated | | | | become "reluctant to recruit anybody". |
| evils is one of the fastest-growing and most | | | | |
| vicious crimes, yet the government's policy | | | | If you should have any questions or views |
| so far has been one of neglect." | | | | concerning Work Permit, Visa Extensions, |
| | | | Leave to Remain or need help finding staff |
| Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman, Nick | | | | please email Charles Kelly |
| Clegg, said: "a truly integrated border | | | | info@immigrationmatters.co.uk. |
| force" is needed rather than to "shift police | | | | |
| officers away from their current duties. The | | | | For regular immigration updates see: |
| government itself has admitted it would cost | | | | |
| £104m to secure every port of entry into | | | | HOW 2 COME TO THE UK to Live Work Study or |
| this country." Clegg goes on to ask: "Why | | | | Visit by Charles Kelly & Cynthia Barker2005 |
| then has John Reid failed to announce any new | | | | ISBN 0-9546338-3-0. |
| funding while tens of thousands of pounds a | | | | |