The United Kingdom has expanded its ‘Deport Now, Appeal Later’ policy to include India and 22 other nations. This policy change allows the UK to deport foreign offenders immediately after sentencing, without waiting for their appeals to be heard in UK courts. This measure is part of a broader effort to address rising migration and reduce delays in removing convicted offenders. Under this new system, foreign nationals from these countries will be deported to their home countries directly after sentencing. They can then appeal the decision remotely via video hearings. This shift is expected to alleviate financial pressures on British taxpayers by expediting deportations. The government has also adjusted regulations, permitting the deportation of most foreign prisoners after they have served just 30 percent of their sentence, down from the previous 50 percent. However, serious offenders such as terrorists and murderers are still required to complete their full prison terms before deportation. With foreign nationals accounting for approximately 12 percent of the UK’s prison population, the move is anticipated to lessen the financial burden on the UK. To support this, the UK government has allocated funds to station specialized staff in numerous prisons across England and Wales to speed up the deportation process for impacted nationals. The list of affected countries previously included several nations, and the expansion adds India, along with other countries. Discussions are ongoing with additional countries to potentially join the scheme. The goal is to swiftly return foreign criminals to their home countries while allowing them to appeal safely from abroad. The policy seeks to end instances of foreign criminals exploiting the UK’s immigration system by remaining in the country for extended periods during their appeals.
