The News
The UK government has tightened its rules on refugees, making it virtually impossible for people arriving in small boats to become British citizens amid a wider crackdown on immigration.
New guidance published this week states that anyone who enters the country illegally “having made a dangerous journey,” such as by hiding in a vehicle or in a small boat, should normally be refused citizenship.
The restriction applies to anyone applying for citizenship from Feb. 10 who previously arrived without a “required valid entry clearance or electronic travel authorisation,” regardless of the time that has passed since entry — meaning even refugees who have lived in the UK for years will not be eligible if they arrived illegally.
It comes as Nigel Farage’s far-right party Reform UK topped a YouGov national poll for the second time, ahead of both Labour and the Conservatives.
The move to toughen the rules sparked fierce criticism from refugee groups.
“This change flies in the face of reason. The British public want refugees who have been given safety in our country to integrate into and contribute to their new communities, so it makes no sense for the Government to erect more barriers,” the CEO of the Refugee Council said in a statement.
Migration expert Parag Khanna told Semafor the tougher rules “will simply expand the ranks of underground fugitives” and further restrict the ability of refugees to contribute positively to British society.
“It would be far wiser to offer some form of amnesty even while becoming stricter on border controls,” said Khanna, who is also the founder of AI analytics platform AlphaGeo.