Ministers are drawing up plans to deport thousands of Albanian asylum seekers almost immediately after they arrive in a bid to ease the border crisis.
They want to avoid giving those who fail to be granted asylum having time to launch an appeal against the decision by shipping them back to eastern Europe ‘within days’.
Currently the legal process means that arrivals have to be put up in hotels at huge cost to the taxpayer because they can only be held briefly in arrival centres like Manston.
But experts last night warned that attempts to remove arrivals before the legal process was complete would break international law.
One told the Times: ‘How can you exercise your appeal rights if you’re not in the UK? It would be extrajudicial, and contravene rights under the Refugee Convention.’
There will also be questions over the ability of the system to speed up.
Taxpayers are currently paying nearly £7million a day to house tens of thousands of asylum seekers in hotels after the Home Office managed to process just four per cent of asylum claims from people who crossed the Channel last year.
Another proposal being examined is a toughening up of modern slavery act, amid claims that many arrivals are presenting bogus claims when they get to Britain.
The Telegraph reported that the figure could reach 5,000 this year.
It came as reports suggested criminal gangs have taken to launching dinghies from riverbanks miles inland to avoid coastal patrols.
Ministers want to avoid giving those who fail to be granted asylum having time to launch an appeal against the decision by shipping them back to eastern Europe ‘within days’.
Currently the legal process means that arrivals have to be put up in hotels at huge cost to the taxpayer because they can only be held briefly in arrival centres like Manston.
Robert Jenrick, the immigration minister, said yesterday the Government would work on a ‘fast-track’ system to speed up the removal of migrants with no right to stay in Britain.
Transport Secretary Mark Harper said that the intense pressure at the Manston migrant processing centre will not be solved quickly.
The Government is desperate to will crack down on young Albanian men – some with ‘criminal intent’ – crossing the Channel to come to the UK.
Robert Jenrick, the immigration minister, said yesterday the Government would work on a ‘fast-track’ system to speed up the removal of migrants with no right to stay in Britain.
He said an agreement signed last year had already led to 1,000 Albanians being returned, but insisted he wanted to see ‘far more’ sent back in the coming months.
Transport Secretary Mark Harper said that the intense pressure at the Manston migrant processing centre will not be solved quickly.
He told Sky News that work was ongoing to get migrants from the site quicker but said ‘it is reasonable to say it is not going to happen overnight’.
‘There are no simple solutions here. They’re very difficult. The Government is putting the steps in place to procure more accommodation.’
Former home secretary Priti Patel signed an agreement last July which strengthened existing arrangements to remove Albanian nationals who have no right to be in the UK, including failed asylum seekers.
The Home Office said then that Albanian nationals made up the largest number of foreign national offenders in UK prisons totalling 16 per cent of the foreign national offenders population.
Mr Jenrick yesterday described many of those arriving in Britain from Albania as ‘young males who are fit, healthy, prosperous enough to pay the criminal gangs to get here’.
The minister said Albania was a ‘demonstrably safe country’ – and people coming to the UK from there have travelled via other safe countries.
‘We should not be seeing these individuals coming to the UK. You should claim asylum in the first safe country, and a very large proportion of Albanians coming to the UK are coming as economic migrants – some intent on criminality,’ he said.
Mr Jenrick, who is planning to visit Albania shortly, said the Government would work on a quicker system to remove Albanians with no right to be in the UK.
He said: ‘We want to find a way to have a fast-track so that Albanians who are coming here – most of whom are young males who are fit, healthy, prosperous enough to pay the criminal gangs to get here – are assessed swiftly, have their claims dismissed if that’s the right answer, and then are removed from the country.’
Meanshile, the leader of a council which has taken High Court action against the Home Office to prevent it hosting asylum seekers in specific hotels has accused the department of showing a ‘total lack of consultation and engagement’ with local authorities.
Sheila Oxtoby, chief executive of Great Yarmouth Borough Council, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: ‘First of all, I’d like to say that we have a long history of welcoming refugees and economic migrants to our town and to our borough.
‘We have always, right from the beginning, offered to work with the Home Office to find the most suitable accommodation and the best solution for both the asylum seekers and the existing community – but that has largely fallen on deaf ears and our offer has not been taken up.
‘I think you used the word ‘imposed’ and that’s how we feel that two properties running as successful hotels in a prime tourism area have been selected to accommodate asylum seekers.
‘That’s what we object to – the method and process upon how they have been selected and the total lack of consultation and engagement with us as the local council.’
Ms Oxtoby added there were limits to the number of refugees that her council would take and urged the Government to recognise immigration is a ‘national issue’.