British officials have admitted that hundreds of foreign nationals deemed a threat to national security—including terrorists and extremists—cannot be deported because of restrictions imposed by human rights laws.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
The British government acknowledged in a new impact assessment that approximately 170 dangerous foreign nationals are living under tight surveillance in the United Kingdom because human rights laws prevent their removal. The revelation, first reported by The Sunday Express, has sparked widespread outrage amid growing concerns about public safety and immigration control.
According to the Home Office’s assessment of its forthcoming Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, “around 170 people are currently on restricted leave, with over half having been involved in terrorism or extremism-related activities.” These individuals remain in the country under continuous monitoring despite records of conduct that include “war crimes, crimes against humanity, extremism, serious crime, or actions posing a threat to national security or public safety.”
The admission underscores a long-running controversy surrounding the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), which has repeatedly been used by convicted criminals and extremists to block deportation orders. Although the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union in 2016, its membership in the ECHR was unaffected, as the Strasbourg-based court is separate from the EU.
Critics argue that the ECHR has been weaponized to undermine domestic security laws. Despite mounting public frustration, successive post-Brexit governments have refused to withdraw from the convention. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has pledged to renegotiate parts of the agreement, vowing to prevent “hardened criminals and terrorists” from exploiting it to avoid deportation. However, it remains unclear whether such reforms will be achievable without leaving the ECHR entirely.
Border Security and Asylum Minister Alex Norris told the Daily Express that upcoming legislation will give the government new powers to remove foreign nationals deemed dangerous. “It is disgraceful that terrorists have been able to stay in the UK under previous rules. Our new laws will place strict restrictions on foreign nationals who pose a threat, tracking their every move,” he said. “These laws will also enable us to get terrorists rapidly deported from British soil and keep our country safe.”
Not all lawmakers are convinced. Conservative Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick argued that the revelations prove the government must withdraw from the ECHR altogether. “This government is clueless as to how bad the problem is and how to fix it,” Jenrick said, adding that Britain must be free to “deport every single one of these terrorists and extremists.”
The controversy intensified in October when the governing Labour Party joined the Greens and Liberal Democrats in voting against a proposal by Reform UK leader Nigel Farage to withdraw from the ECHR. Farage condemned the decision, saying the government is “filled to the brim with woke human rights lawyers” who “prioritise a foreign court in Strasbourg over the security of the British people.”
The dispute highlights one of Britain’s deepest post-Brexit fault lines: whether national security should take precedence over international human rights commitments. As the number of deportation-blocked cases continues to grow, pressure is mounting on the government to choose between remaining bound by Strasbourg’s authority or reclaiming full control over its borders and internal security.
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