London: India has been included in an expanded list of countries under the UK government’s ‘Deport Now, Appeal Later’ policy, which enables the deportation of foreign criminals before they have the opportunity to appeal their removal.

This measure is part of the Labour government’s broader crackdown on immigration and efforts to fast-track the removal of convicted foreign nationals.

The UK Home Office confirmed on Sunday that the scope of the deportation scheme will increase from eight countries to 23, with the new list including India. Under the policy, individuals convicted of crimes and denied human rights claims will be removed from the UK and allowed to participate in appeal proceedings remotely via video link from their home country.

“For far too long, foreign criminals have been exploiting our immigration system, remaining in the UK for months or even years while their appeals drag on. That has to end,” said Home Secretary Yvette Cooper.

“Those who commit crimes in our country cannot be allowed to manipulate the system, which is why we are restoring control and sending a clear message that our laws must be respected and will be enforced,” she added.

The original list, revived in 2023 by former Home Secretary Suella Braverman, covered eight countries including Nigeria, Albania, and Kosovo. The updated list now includes: India, Australia, Canada, Kenya, Malaysia, Indonesia, Latvia, Lebanon, Bulgaria, Zambia, Uganda, Guyana, Angola, Botswana, Brunei, and others.

The UK government said discussions with other countries to join the scheme are ongoing.

“We are leading diplomatic efforts to increase the number of countries where foreign criminals can be swiftly returned, and if they want to appeal, they can do so safely from their home country,” said Foreign Secretary David Lammy. “Under this scheme, we're investing in international partnerships that uphold our security and make our streets safer.”

Nearly 5,200 deportations since July, says Home Office

The Home Office has reported that approximately 5,200 foreign nationals have been deported since July 2024, following the Labour government’s arrival in office – a 14 percent increase over the previous year.

Authorities argue that prior to the policy, many offenders remained in the UK long after completing their sentences, placing a continued financial strain on taxpayers.

The UK government also announced that under the Borders Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, new powers will allow officials to strip asylum seekers of refugee status if they are found guilty of notifiable sex offences.

An investment of £5 million has been allocated to deploy specialist removal staff across 80 prisons in England and Wales to accelerate deportations.

Separately, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) confirmed that it will build upon existing legislation passed in June, reducing the prison time required before deportation for foreign nationals from 50 percent to just 30 percent of their sentence.

This will apply to offenders serving fixed-term (determinate) sentences, although discretion will be retained for case-by-case exceptions. Those convicted of terrorism, murder, or serving life sentences will still be required to complete their full prison term before deportation can be considered.

“Deportations are up under this government, and with this new law they will happen earlier than ever before. Our message is clear: if you abuse our hospitality and break our laws, we will send you packing,” said Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood.

According to official Ministry of Justice data, foreign nationals account for approximately 12 percent of the UK’s prison population, with annual incarceration costs averaging £54,000 per inmate.

The strengthened rules will apply to both existing inmates and new offenders, with the legislation expected to be introduced during the next parliamentary session.

With PTI inputs