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London, September 16, 2004 (The Guardian) – Tony Blair will today announce a fresh objective of each month removing more failed asylum seekers than the number of arrivals, as part of an attempt to restore credibility to immigration policy. The prime minister is also to highlight the creation next week of two criminal offences, one being to deliberately destroy a passport or other identity document in order to enter Britain illegally. The offences will carry a maximum prison sentence of two years, and are the first part of the Asylum and Immigration Act to come into force.
Among the measures will be fresh ways are also being examined to return rejected asylum applicants to Somalia, at present the number one source of asylum applications.
The credibility of the government's programme of removals of failed asylum seekers has never recovered from the moment when the home secretary, David Blunkett, had to abandon the target of 30,000 removals each year set by his predecessor, Jack Straw.
Removals reached record levels last year at 13,000 asylum seekers known to have been ejected. But the debate has always been confused by the fact that no specific count has ever been made of the numbers who leave before compulsory action is taken.
Mr. Blair's announcement of a new objective is an attempt to step up the pace of removals. It is understood that, following the debacle of the abandoned 30,000 target, the new approach will not set a specific number but instead indicate the trajectory of numbers needed in the medium term.
Ministers think the public's false belief that nobody whose asylum claim is rejected ever leaves needs to be challenged if political support is to be built for a balanced refugee and migration policy.
Initially the increase in numbers will be achieved by stronger enforcement, particularly looking at cases left undisturbed by the inaction of the immigration authorities.
However ministers acknowledge that a significant increase in numbers is unlikely until an agreement is reached with the Chinese government in particular to accept those sent back.
The first of the two offences coming into force next Wednesday makes it illegal to deliberately destroy or discard travel documents in an attempt to enter the country. The second makes it an offence to fail to cooperate with the attempt to give a failed asylum seeker new travel papers so they can be sent back home.
Mr. Blair's announcement comes alongside plans to introduce an "e-border" around Britain, electronically tracking travelers' entry and exit using data collected by airlines or ferry companies.
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