Migrants who overstay their visas will be removed from the UK, a government minister has vowed, after it was revealed that they now account for nearly 40% of all asylum claimants.
The Home Office confirmed that approximately 40,000 people who initially arrived in the UK as students, workers, or visitors last year have since applied for asylum.
Concerns over visa system being exploited
The revelation has sparked concerns that the visa system is being exploited as a loophole for permanent UK residency.
Of those 40,000 asylum seekers, around 10,000 have been living in taxpayer-funded hotels or other government-funded accommodation. These individuals originally entered the country on visas that suggested they had the financial means to support themselves without public assistance.
In response, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has ordered an investigation into potential abuse of the visa system, as the government attempts to tighten border controls.
Minister confirms crackdown on overstayers
Speaking to Times Radio on Monday, Border Security Minister Angela Eagle defended the government’s stance, saying that visa overstayers will be removed from the country.
“We inherited the system we inherited with a 70% fall in any kind of processing, with 100,000 people in dispersal accommodation or hotels who weren’t even being processed by the previous government.”
She added:
“When they came in on a visa, they actually told us that they had the means to exist in the country without relying on public funds.”
When asked whether those who had come to Britain on a visa would be removed from taxpayer-funded accommodation, Ms Eagle made the government’s position clear:
“They will certainly [be removed], and if they’re overstaying, they’ll be removed from the country.”
Sir Keir Starmer’s migration summit
The announcement comes as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer hosted a high-profile summit on illegal immigration in London. The event brought together ministers from 40 countries, including representatives from the United States, China, Vietnam, Iraq, Italy, and Albania.
During the summit, Sir Keir urged international leaders to work together to tackle people-smuggling gangs, comparing the fight against illegal migration to counterterrorism efforts.
Targeting people-smuggling networks
The government has pledged £33 million to disrupt people-smuggling operations, bolster prosecutions, and provide funding for foreign prosecutors to track down smugglers worldwide.
The summit will also include social media giants such as Meta, X (formerly Twitter), and TikTok, as discussions focus on cracking down on online adverts promoting illegal migration.
Speaking at the opening of the summit, Sir Keir Starmer stressed the urgent need for action, saying:
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“Illegal migration is a massive driver of global insecurity.”
“It undermines our ability to control who comes here, and that makes people angry. It makes me angry, frankly, because it’s unfair on ordinary working people who pay the price, from the cost of hotels to our public services struggling under the strain.”
He also condemned the people-smuggling gangs, calling them “vile criminals” who exploit vulnerable individuals for profit.
“We must each take decisive action in our own countries to deal with them.”
Growing political pressure over migration
The latest figures on visa overstayers and asylum claims add to the growing political pressure on the government to control migration.
While the Conservatives argue that Labour has been too slow to act, the current government insists it is taking decisive steps to close loopholes and remove those abusing the system.
With the general election looming, immigration is set to remain a hot-button issue, with both major parties under pressure to deliver stronger border controls while ensuring that genuine asylum seekers receive fair treatment.
