UK announces tougher approach to illegal immigration

London is to introduce a raft of new measures aimed at tackling illegal immigration into the UK and strengthening the country’s border security, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has announced. A statement on Wednesday said the government plans to achieve the “highest rate of removals of people without a right” to be in the country over the next six months since 2018, including asylum seekers whose claims have been rejected. “We are taking strong and clear steps to improve our border security and ensure the rules are followed and enforced,” Cooper said. The new measures include the immediate recruitment of up to 100 new specialist intelligence and investigations officers at the National Crime Agency (NCA) to “disrupt and destroy criminal smuggling rings and prevent dangerous boat crossings”. The government also unveiled plans to increase its detention capacity, with 290 new beds at its Campsfield and Haslar Immigration Removal Centres. In addition, a new intelligence-led…