Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has refused to guarantee that illegal migrants will be returned to France this month, despite telling Parliament just yesterday that the first deportations are "expected" in September.
When pressed by Sky News for a firm commitment, Cooper said: "We expect the first returns to take place this month. But I've always said from the very beginning on this, it's a pilot scheme and it needs to build up over time."
The returns form part of a new agreement with France, operating on a "one-in, one-out" basis where the UK sends back Channel migrants in exchange for approved family reunion cases.
Student visa crackdown launched
Cooper confirmed that up to 15,000 international students annually claim asylum as their visas expire, then remain in the system for years. The Home Office has launched a direct contact campaign, reaching nearly 10,000 students and dependants last week through email and text warnings.
The messages alert students they must leave if they have no right to remain, warning that asylum claims lacking merit will be "swiftly and robustly refused". Tens of thousands more students are expected to receive similar guidance in coming weeks.
Only The i reports that a similar student contact campaign in 2013 under Theresa May proved largely ineffective at reducing numbers.
Family reunion changes take effect
New applications to the existing refugee family reunion route will be suspended this week while a replacement system is prepared. Refugees will now face "the same family migration rules and conditions as everyone else" until new rules are rolled out in spring.
The suspension comes as The i reports that 20,817 reunion visas were issued last year - five times higher than two years ago. According to HuffPost UK, family reunion applications now typically arrive within a month, compared to one to two years previously, often before refugees have secured jobs or housing.
Political criticism mounts
Cooper defended her "practical and sensible" approach, contrasting it with the Conservative Rwanda scheme that "spent £700million and sent four volunteers after running it for two years".
Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice dismissed Cooper's measures as "more waffle and words" that will "make no difference whatsoever". Tice said: "We're saying the first phase of deportations should be focusing on men primarily."
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer indicated yesterday that the Government wants to clear asylum seekers from hotels faster than the current 2029 deadline. Cooper told Times Radio: "We do believe it can be done earlier."
Sources used: "GB News", "Daily Mail", "Independent", "The Standard", "The i", "HuffPost UK"
Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
