The United Kingdom (UK) refused entry to tens of thousands of failed asylum seekers and foreign criminals in 2022, as well actively deporting around 3,500: the lowest number on record.
According to the House of Commons Library, there were 74,751 asylum claims registered last year, raising the overall asylum caseload to 166,100 cases – double that of 2014.
Of those, more than 100,000 were still “awaiting an initial decision,” and another 4,900 were “awaiting the outcome of an appeal.”
As of 2022, the UK’s asylum refusal rate was at its lowest point since 1990, with less than one-quarter – 23 percent – of cases being refused, resulting in deportation.
In 2022 almost half of the asylum seekers – 44 percent – who had their application refused were able to appeal and have the initial decision reversed, according to the UK Refugee Council.
Germany has a refusal rate of 48.5 percent, in comparison. France has a first instance refusal rate of 82 percent. The last time the UK was anywhere near that number was 2004.
The UK has become a “last resort” for failed asylum seekers, argues Migration Watch UK.
“This is a total failure,” states former UKIP and Brexit Party Leader Nigel Farage.
This is a total failure. https://t.co/09xxoj7lTo
— Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) May 25, 2023
This news comes as net migration to the UK is now the highest on record at around 606,000.
