Under the Nationality and Borders Act 2022, the maximum prison sentence for illegal entry into the UK and for overstaying a visa is four years on indictment. Over 1,000 people have been convicted of illegal arrival since 2022, with typical sentences of 8-12 months. Prosecutions for simple overstaying remain rare unless combined with other factors such as illegal working.
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30 Opinions
As indicated, no room no will ,no hope
Hardly anyone is even sentenced, let alone to the maximum sentence for this so this wouldn't change anything. All irregular arrivals need to be detained until they can be deported but increasing the sentence won't achieve that
I thought you wanted them deported?
It would have no effect, because I never see it implemented anyways.
Illegal entry is only necessary because we have made it impossible for people to come here to claim asylum in any other way.
Over 1000 since 2022! We have had 100 times more than entering illegally and relatively few convictions, so why waste time raising it when what is in placve is not enforced.
Our prisons are literally overflowing.... we're letting convicts out early because there are no spare cells, yet politicians think the answer is locking up boat arrivals for years at £50k a pop to the taxpayer? Raising the cap is pure tabloid theatre that won't deter a single dinghy. It just clogs collapsing courts and funnels public money into private prisons while doing absolutely nothing to stop the gangs.
Yes the punishment should be increased but every case must be treated independently based on individuals circumstances for doing what they have. If you want to have a deterrent it needs to be a strong one. However if so the criminal courts must enforce it properly. Also the tax payer and our Government must not pay for it, it must be paid for by the person's country of origin.
Illegal migrants should be deported full stop. When in prison it is the UK tax payer that foots the bill - again, furthermore the cost of keeping those foreigners in prison should be charged to their country.
FAST TRACK JUSTICE AND DEPORT THEM. MOVE THEM ONTO OIL TANKERS UNTIL PROCESSED. STOP FUNDING THE COUNTRIES THEY CAME FROM.