Law breaking immigrants to be deported
The Home Office is planning to strengthen its power to deport people convicted of crime.
Home Secretary David Blunkett has outlined plans to create a list of one hundred offences, conviction for which will warrant deportation of immigrants in the UK.
At present the Home Office can order the deportation of immigrants who were previously granted the right to stay, if they are sentenced to two years in prison, but this is no longer considered comprehensive enough.
The number of illegal immigrants deported by the government rose to 65,460 in 2002 following concerns that those denied asylum were not being returned to their country of origin. However, public attention has now turned to those permitted to stay despite committing crimes.
The new list of 100 offences is focused on severe crimes, and includes causing death by dangerous driving and sex offences. This is to ensure that those convicted of serious crimes but shown lenience by the court can still be removed from the country.
Although the list appears extensive, the number of people likely to be affected over a normal year will be small. It is estimated that less than 100 people will be deported under this system.
