UK Home Office data shows over 50,000 illegal migrants, including 1,200 foreign offenders, listed as absconders/Image: Sky News
More than 50,000 illegal migrants, including around 1,200 foreign national offenders, have been recorded as missing from the UK’s immigration system after failing to maintain contact with authorities, according to a report by The Telegraph.The newspaper reported that the figures, dating to December 2024 and reviewed by the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration, list more than 50,000 people as absconders on government records.The total includes failed asylum seekers who allegedly disappeared after their claims were rejected, migrants who arrived in the UK and later went missing while on immigration bail, and foreign offenders who have avoided deportation after serving prison sentences.Under UK immigration rules, people released on immigration bail are required to report regularly to the Home Office. Those who fail to do so can be classified as absconders and become subject to enforcement measures, including arrest and detention.The number of absconders exceeds the current asylum backlog awaiting an initial Home Office decision. Government figures for March showed 48,758 asylum seekers were still waiting for an initial decision on their applications. The report comes ahead of new immigration legislation expected to be introduced next week. The proposed measures are intended to make it more difficult for migrants to use human rights protections and modern slavery claims to delay or prevent deportation.A Home Office source told The Telegraph the previous government’s handling of the asylum system had been “chaotic”, adding that poor data management and a growing asylum backlog contributed to the current situation.The source also said immigration enforcement funding is being increased from £681 million in 2023-24 to £1.33 billion by 2028-29, while the number of enforcement officers is expected to rise from 4,500 to 7,300.Nearly 70,000 illegal migrants and foreign criminals have been removed from the UK since July 2024, including about 10,000 foreign national offenders. Around 19,800 foreign national offenders are currently living in the community while awaiting deportation.The Home Office is also investing an additional £10 million in new reporting systems, including digital self-service kiosks, alongside a further £3 million to improve technology used to trace historic absconder cases.
