Suella Braverman says lawyers who help migrants cheat the system are 'criminals and conmen' who 'need to be jailed'
5 August 2023, 23:48 | Updated: 5 August 2023, 23:52
Suella Braverman has said lawyers who help asylum seekers to cheat the British immigration system "need to be jailed".
Speaking of the need for Britain to be viewed as a "hostile environment" for asylum seekers, the Home Secretary added that those who submit false asylum and human rights claims on behalf of illegal immigrants should be imprisoned.
Braverman, 43, told the Mail on Sunday that such a stance would deter "criminals and conmen" who try to cheat the system.
She also pointed out that existing legal legislation already allows life sentences for those unlawfully assisting immigrants.
According to the Immigration Act 1971, it's an offence to intentionally help those seeking asylum to breach immigration laws.
"These so-called immigration lawyers, who have been very powerfully exposed as being criminals and conmen, coaching migrants on how to lie to get through our system, how to game our system, how to play our rules, they are cheating the British people," said Braverman.
"I worked as a barrister myself before I was an MP, defending the Home Office in immigration cases, and I know what we’re dealing with here in terms of the problem."
Adding: "We’ve got a racket, we’ve got an industry of people who are purporting to be professional, purporting to be legitimate, but actually under the surface are lying or cheating and breaking the law, and we need to crack down on them."
It comes as Prime Minister Rishi Sunak stood accused of “cooking the books” where asylum claims are concerned.
According to The Independent, more than 6,000 people removed from the system following his vow to clear a historic backlog.
Announcing the staunch measures ahead of Government's "Stop the Boats" week, Mrs Braverman said: "It’s very simple. They really need to be jailed.
"We have the laws in place already which can be used whereby if you are facilitating a migrant illegally, you can be potentially jailed for life."
Read more: Former Pakistan PM Imran Khan calls for protests after being handed three-year jail term
"And if the offence is warranted, then these people must be jailed for as long as possible. They need to know that they can’t get away with it. They need to know that this is totally unacceptable."
The Home Secretary added: "And we need to ensure that a blind eye isn’t turned to this kind of behaviour but, actually, that we have a hostile environment for those who seek to undermine and break our rules."
It follows the news Albanian people smuggling gangs are offering criminals the chance to flee Britain across the Channel for the price of £2,500.
The gangs, who are more notorious for bringing people over the sea in small boats illegally, are even helping murderers to escape the UK.
TikTok has been used to offer people the chance to cross the Channel but now the smugglers are using their expertise to do the reverse.
