UK to Add India to List of 'Safe States': What Does it Mean & How Will it Impact Indians | EXPLAINED

The UK has laid out plans to add India to an expanded list of safe states, which would speed up the process of returning Indians who travel from the country illegally and rule out their chance of seeking asylum in Britain.

The proposed law would not allow asylum claims from Indian citizens who enter the country illegally via small boats or other routes and will be sent back.

According to the draft legislation laid in the House of Commons, India and Georgia are the latest countries to be added to the list.

The move is part of British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s plan to stop the illegal immigrants from entering the UK, as more than 25,000 people have been intercepted on small boats and other unsuitable craft on crossings from northern France so far this year.

What Does it Mean

UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman said that including India in the list would allow the country to more swiftly remove people with no right to be in the UK and sends a clear message that if you come here illegally, you cannot stay.

In other words, those Indians travelling illegally to the country would not be able to seek asylum in Britain. Therefore, the Indian nationals arriving on small boats or illegally on other routes will be deemed inadmissible, not allowed to make any appeals and they will be sent back.

“We remain committed to delivering the measures in our Illegal Migration Act, which will play a part in the fight against illegal migration,” she said.

The move is in line with measures to meet British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s pledge to stop the boats of migrants landing on the country’s shores illegally after making precarious journeys across the English Channel. It will bolster UK’s immigration system and help prevent abuse by people making unfounded protection claims.

The UK government said that the Indian and Georgian small boat arrivals have increased over the last year despite individuals not being at obvious risk of persecution.

The proposed legislation will ensure people do not risk their lives by making lethal and unnecessary journeys across the Channel. It also makes it clear that if you travel here illegally, you will not be able to remain and build a life in the UK.

What is ‘Safe States’ List?

According to the UK laws, a country can only be added to the safe states list if the Home Secretary is satisfied that there is no serious risk of persecution of its nationals and removal of nationals to that country cannot go against the UK’s obligations under the Human Rights Convention.

“The Home Office has rigorously assessed India and Georgia and determined that both meet these criteria,” a UK government statement said.

The UK Home Office stated that the other nations deemed safe by the UK include Albania, Switzerland, the European Union, and European Economic Area states.

More Indians Arriving Illegally

UK has recently seen a spike in the number of Indians illegally crossing into the country across the English Channel on risky small boats.

According to the UK Home Office, 675 Indian nationals entered the country by small boat between January and March, amid a “surge in attempts to evade work visa restrictions,” according to The Daily Mail.

The figure shows a progressive rise from the 67 Indian nationals recorded to have crossed over in small boats in 2021, 64 in 2020 and none in 2019 and 2018.

In recent months, there has been a surge in the number of Indian nationals attempting to make the crossing, with many reportedly paying smugglers exorbitant fees to help them reach the UK.

The majority of the “irregular arrivals” from India arrived on small boats were made up of men between the ages of 25 and 40, out of a total of 45,755 in 2022 – largely dominated by nationals from Albania and Afghanistan, followed by Iran, Iraq and Syria. Other South Asian nationalities recorded on the list include Pakistanis, Sri Lankans and Bangladeshis.

Sunak’s Migration Problem

The immigration issue is one of the main priorities of British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. To make sure that people are effectively supporting the economy of the nation by paying taxes and adhering to other rules, the UK government is cracking down on unauthorised employees.

Sunak and his ruling Conservative government have been under sustained pressure to stop so-called “small boats” crossings of migrants from northern France, and tackle a record backlog of asylum claims.

Earlier this year, UK government succeeded in passing its illegal migration bill, which is the central pillar of Sunak’s plan to stop small boat crossings. Earlier in March, Sunak announced a plan to stop the surge of illegal migrants coming into the country and said those who enter UK illegally will not be allowed to claim asylum.

Migration is likely to be a major issue on the doorstep as campaigning gets under way for a general election expected next year.