The backlog of asylum appeals in the United Kingdom has surged to unprecedented levels, raising security concerns about the prolonged stay of unvetted migrants in the country.
| PULSE POINTS |
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: The United Kingdom’s asylum appeal backlog surpassed 90,000 earlier this year, marking a record high. 📺 DETAIL: According to new data from the British government, the country’s asylum appeal backlog had risen to 90,341 cases by the end of June. This represents a 51 percent increase from the previous year, when the asylum appeal backlog was 59,925. The figures were published on Thursday by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ). This also represents a massive increase from the 5,209 cases in June 2020. The MoJ has attributed the backlog to the faster pace of initial asylum claim decisions, which has led to a surge in appeals. The average waiting time for appeals has also risen to 72 weeks, up from 67 weeks earlier this year. The new data shows 39 percent of asylum appeals were successful between April and June this year, about equal to the 40 percent during the same period last year. 🎯 IMPACT: The growing backlog shows that the British government is struggling to handle the influx of illegal migrants entering the country. Delays in resolving asylum appeals prolong the stay of migrants without legal standing to remain in the country. This poses a security threat to British communities, as demonstrated by past instances of illegal migrants committing crimes in the country while waiting for a decision. For example, three asylum seekers were found guilty of committing gang rape on a beach in Brighton, southern England, earlier this year. They were staying in a taxpayer-subsidized hotel while their asylum applications were being processed. Also, even if their applications are ultimately rejected, British law requires that asylum seekers are housed until a decision is made, placing logistical pressures on communities and introducing the possibility of areas being overwhelmed by the number of arrivals. 📺 FLASHBACK: Back in June, it was revealed that half of the approximately 400,000 illegal migrants in Britain cannot be deported due to asylum and human rights claims. |
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