By Gloria Ogbonna
The number of foreign criminals released back onto the streets of Britain instead of being deported has reached a record high under the left-wing Labour government of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, according to new figures that have reignited controversy over immigration enforcement and human rights laws.
A report published by The Sun, Britain’s highest-circulation newspaper, reveals that a record 19,491 foreign national offenders have been freed into the public despite being eligible for deportation.
The figures mark a sharp increase in the number of migrant criminals remaining in the country and have drawn criticism from immigration reform advocates and opposition figures alike.
The data shows that the population of foreign offenders living in Britain has soared by more than 300 percent since 2017, when approximately 5,933 migrant criminals were recorded as being at liberty in the UK. Since Prime Minister Starmer assumed office last year, the number has reportedly increased by nearly 1,000, underscoring the growing scale of the issue.
In response to public concern, the government announced new measures in September granting expanded powers to the Home Office.
These changes allow officials to deport foreign offenders directly from prison, rather than limiting removals to those serving sentences longer than one year.
The threshold for deportation eligibility was also reduced, meaning offenders can now be considered for removal after serving 30 percent of their sentence, down from the previous 50 percent.
Despite these reforms, deportations can still be halted by rulings from the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). Although the UK left the European Union through Brexit, it remains bound by the ECHR, which operates independently of the EU.
The court has frequently been used by foreign criminals—including violent offenders, sex offenders, and individuals linked to terrorism—to block deportation on human rights grounds.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has seized on the issue, vowing to withdraw Britain from the ECHR altogether.
He argues that the court routinely undermines British sovereignty and public safety by preventing the removal of dangerous individuals. Farage has also pledged to create a Deportation Command Centre, aimed at tracking down, detaining, and deporting all illegal migrants across the United Kingdom.
In contrast, the Labour government—like several Conservative governments before it—has refused to withdraw from the ECHR. Instead, ministers say they are working with European partners to reform the convention from within.
The UK is pushing for changes to Article 3, which prevents deportation if individuals may face inhumane treatment abroad, and Article 8, which blocks removals if deportation could disrupt family life. However, it remains unclear whether such reforms will be approved or when they might take effect.
Currently, around 10,500 foreign criminals are held in British prisons, accounting for roughly 12 percent of the total prison population. With each inmate costing taxpayers more than £50,000 per year, the daily cost of incarcerating foreign offenders is estimated at £1.3 million, placing a significant financial burden on the public purse.
Responding to the figures, a Home Office spokeswoman said the government is committed to tightening the system.
“This government will not allow foreign criminals and illegal migrants to exploit our laws,” she said. “That is why we are reforming human rights legislation and the broken appeals system so we can scale up deportations. All foreign national offenders who receive a prison sentence in the UK are referred for deportation at the earliest opportunity.”
As public concern grows over crime, migration, and rising costs, the debate over deportation policy and Britain’s relationship with international human rights courts is expected to remain a central political battleground.
Source Breitbrat
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