Tough new immigration plans - Life sentences for people-smugglers under crackdown

PRITI Patel revealed ministers will introduce life sentences for people-smugglers who exploit desperate migrants to get them to the UK on Tuesday.

The Home Secretary has revealed her tough new immigration plans to MPs this afternoon- with an asylum shake-up to stop people risking their lives crossing the Channel to get into the country.

She vowed to tackle illegal migration "head on" with a fresh approach to crackdown on the routes that people try to use, and punish those who help them insisting: "while people are dying, we have a responsibility to act".

She said her reforms were the biggest shake-up in decades, and they would stop people "dying at sea, in lorries, and in shipping containers, having put their lives in the hands of criminal gangs."

Ms Patel said she would bring forward "new maximum life sentences for people smugglers and facilitators" and "new rules to stop unscrupulous people posing as children" too.

And she took aim at the current system which is being clogged up with last minute "meritless claims" to try and get people to stay in the country.

Under her reforms would mean only people with genuine rights to be here would be able to stay - and wouldn't be able to access benefits or be reunited with their families.

Many put in last minute claims are launched by lawyers - but eight in ten are then thrown out.

Last year, roughly 8,500 people arrived in Britain having made the perilous crossing of the Channel in small boats, but several died while attempting the journey.

"Enough is enough," she vowed.

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PRITI TOUGH Priti Patel reveals sick people smugglers will face life in jail under her immigration crackdown

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[Victory]

She's wasting her breath.
This will go no further than those 4 walls.

[seanrobert]

Rapidly remove people who have no right to be if that's happening

[PickleThePig]

Do the immigrants get fined £5000 for entering, just like UK holiday makers are?

[robertreynolds]

They have always got “Plans” but very rarely carry them out, maybe in 10yrs.

[joehart]

The word refugee is overused. How many are actually refugees and how many just economic migrants?

[bluecardholder]

Sorry, but if people travel from France than they've already passed through a safe country where they could apply for asylum.

[jamesoakley]

All talk no action. We will still get hundreds a day coming in.

[tonyhaynes]

What do you mean by life sentence? Normally you let them out after 10-15 years

[starsailor]

Why should anyone have the right to force their way into the U.K. and bleed life long tax payers for free housing, health care and education without putting in a penny? When our own people cannot access the basics it is stupid to hand it to criminals. These people are depriving genuine refugees of much needed assistance.

[marionboyle]

Lots of talk but no action.Promises just don't materialise.

[maxbritain]

How many Migrants today Priti. The Lads & Ladies in Dover have been filming the Invasion today.

[haydenellie]

Send them all back no room at the inn for gods sake we are full they are 90% young males who should be in the country of their birth helping to improve the country they come from not running away leaving the women and children to fend for themselves

[anunusualironiccircumstanc]

We’re a small country with 60m+ people we don’t need anymore.

[lindabayliss]

Good one, but not jailed for life in our country, why should we pay for France's failure.

[HalStargazer]

how many times have we heard this tough talk over the years and then nothing happens

[MrSparrow]

Noooo tell them there are no jobs here...! No houses for them no benefits ! Stay home make your own country's great.

[leesaunders]

driving home from work today and noticed a massive warehouse being built coming out of Lutterworth. looked to my left and saw a big new housing estate being built too. you can bet your taxes on who those new houses are going to and where they will be working at. the dinghy brigade being catered for and waited on hand and foot.

[jonathanfowler]

How about life sentences for those who enter or try to enter illegally. As well as for the people smugglers. That sounds more like it.

[rinima]

The UK gov needs to toughen its acts. I obtained permanent stay here through legal means, the amount of hoops I need to jump through was numerous and tough while the economic costs were high. Meanwhile they just hands out PR to those who claims they were persecuted in their home countries and very little evidence were needed. The whole situation pretty much just an insult to us law abiding immigrants.

[simonhughes]

I’ve got an idea! How about bringing in no benefits or housing unless you’ve been in the country for 5 years.