12 hours Ago By The Telegraph
The Government’s plan to deport rejected asylum seekers to “return hubs” abroad is being backed by the United Nations’ refugee agency. Insiders have described the move as “game-changing” as it comes in the wake of Yvette Cooper , the Home Secretary, discussing the prospect of paying countries in the Balkans to take Britain’s failed asylum seekers at a meeting with the head of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). In a report in The Times , the Government is looking to open up a series of overseas hubs for failed asylum seekers, with the Balkans previously proposed.
Sources suggest Albania, Serbia, Bosnia and North Macedonia are being approached. A UNHCR document setting out the “need for effective return systems and the potential role of return hubs” has indicated it would offer support to countries including the UK in putting the arrangements in place as long as it does not contradict its policy to protect refugees. The UK could adopt the strategy of Italy which has two facilities in Albania to process asylum seekers intercepted in the Mediterranean Sea.
The agreement, thought by some to be controversial, aims to allow Italy to outsource some of its migration management responsibilities to Albania. The UNHCR has said that in the UK’s case, monitoring arrangements would need to be in place at the hubs to ensure human rights standards were “reliably met”. “It could be a game-changer because it will help give us the necessary legal cover against any legal challenge and will also help us politically with our Left-wing MPs who may have reservations,” the source said.
Another source added: “We are working on a range of solutions to tackle illegal migration, including working with countries across the EU and beyond on law enforcement cooperation to dismantle the criminal smuggling gangs profiting from small-boat crossings.” It comes as record numbers of migrants have crossed the Channel this year, putting more pressure on the UK to process refugees. On Friday alone, 51 refugees were taken onboard a Border Force vessel and disembarked at Dover harbour.
They were alerted by reports of a medical emergency that resulted in the death of a migrant . Chris Philp , the shadow home secretary, who has declared Sir Keir Starmer has “lost control” of Britain’s borders , said: “This shows that removing illegal immigrants to locations outside Europe is being considered by more and more countries. “The UK could have led the world with our Rwanda removals scheme, but Labour cancelled it before it even started and now 2025 so far has seen record levels of illegal crossings.
“It is obvious that a removals deterrent is needed to stop illegal immigration. “The UNHCR seem to be finally realising that, as does the incoming German government . “The only government going in the other direction is ours, because it is led by Keir Starmer, a weak human rights lawyer.
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