Labour moves to force Home Secretary into deporting terrorists who enter Britain by small boat after Daily Mail revealed 19 terror suspects are living in UK having crossed the Channel
- Five foreign nationals linked to the Islamic State had reached the UK last year
- Plans to use redundant Essex RAF site to house asylum seekers failed yesterday
The Home Secretary could be placed under a duty to deport terrorists who enter Britain by small boat, under proposed changes to the new immigration Bill.
Labour set out moves to toughen the Home Office’s powers in the wake of the Mail’s revelations that 19 terror suspects are now living freely in this country after crossing the Channel last year.
We disclosed last week that the men – including five linked with Islamic State – reached this country illegally from northern France and cannot be deported due, in part, to human rights laws.
They are now understood to be living in hotels paid for by the British taxpayer.
Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper tabled an amendment to the Bill which will oblige the Home Secretary to deport terrorists who come to the UK ‘without leave’, such as small boat migrants.
The Home Secretary could be placed under a duty to deport terrorists who enter Britain by small boat, under proposed changes to the new immigration Bill (pictured, a group of migrants brought in to Dungeness on 4 April)
Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper (pictured) tabled an amendment to the Bill which will oblige the Home Secretary to deport terrorists who come to the UK ‘without leave’, such as small boat migrants
The proposal would not require a suspect to have been convicted.
Instead, it would only require the Home Secretary to be ‘satisfied that the person has been involved in terrorism-related activity’.
If they cannot be deported they should be placed under a Terrorism Investigation and Prevention Measure, or TPIM, Ms Cooper’s proposals added.
TPIMs replaced ‘control orders’ in 2011 and can impose curfews and other restrictions – including access to the internet – on terror suspects.
Ms Cooper said: ‘After the Daily Mail reported that 19 suspected terrorists entered Britain on small boats last year, it is vital that ministers act to defend our border security.
‘Labour’s amendment writes onto the face of the Illegal Migration Bill that where suspected terrorists have tried to evade our border security and enter the country they must be removed.
‘And where removal is delayed, severe terror prevention restrictions should be considered on their movements and whereabouts.’She urged the Government to ‘back this amendment to keep the British people safe’.
The Opposition’s amendment appeared to accept the principle of the Government’s plan to swiftly remove all migrants who arrive by ‘irregular’ routes.
They would be sent to Rwanda – with which the UK has signed a £140million asylum deal – or another safe country.
A Home Office source said: ‘It’s very pleasing to see Labour finally backing the Home Secretary’s power to remove people who come to the UK illegally.
‘The British people want us to stop the boats – and that’s what this government will do.
‘We already monitor terrorists, of course, and remove them when we can.’
It was unclear on Friday night whether the Government would support Labour’s proposals.
On April 11, the Mail revealed seven of the 19 terror suspects who arrived last year were already under ‘active investigation’ in other countries.
The terrorists cannot be returned to their home countries because they could face torture or ill-treatment, it is understood.
One MP said the terrorists’ arrival in Britain by small boat was a ‘national scandal’.
Labour set out moves to toughen the Home Office’s powers in the wake of the Mail’s revelations that 19 terror suspects are now living freely in this country after crossing the Channel last year (Labour party leader Sir Keir Starmer pictured with Yvette Cooper)
On Friday, the Mail reported how unelected peers risk triggering public ‘outrage’ if they block the Government’s new Bill.
It is thought the Bill may have to be forced through under the rarely-used Parliament Act, which allows the Commons to overrule objections by the Lords.
READ MORE: Nineteen suspected terrorists living in taxpayer-funded migrant hotels after crossing Channel
Nineteen suspected terrorists have arrived in Britain via small boats across the Channel, security sources have told the Mail
Ministers have secured a deal with rebel Conservative backbenchers who wanted the Bill toughened.
An additional measure was agreed on Friday to strengthen the approach towards asylum seekers who claim to be children but are suspected of being adults.
If they refuse to undergo a scientific age assessment examination – such as dental X-rays – the Home Office will be able to treat them as over-18s.
Senior Tory backbencher Sir John Hayes said: ‘This will end the outrage of adults as old as 40 pretending to be children.’
The Bill is due back in the Commons on Wednesday before heading to the Lords for scrutiny.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has vowed to ‘stop the boats’ as one of his five key pledges to voters, after last year’s total reached a record level of more than 45,700.
Braintree District Council brought legal action over the proposed use of Wethersfield airfield to accommodate up to 1,700 male migrants.
In the High Court in London, Mr Justice Waksman concluded the court did not have the power to grant the council’s application for an injunction, and ruled in favour of the Government.
A council spokesman said last night FRI they were ‘disappointed’ and would be ‘reflecting on any next steps’.
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