New UK Policy: India Added to ‘Deport Now, Appeal Later’ Program

The UK government has broadened the scope of its ‘Deport Now, Appeal Later’ policy, incorporating India and 22 other countries. This policy allows for the immediate deportation of foreign offenders following sentencing, bypassing the need to wait for appeal hearings within UK courts. The UK Home Office indicated that the scheme has nearly tripled, growing from eight to 23 countries. This initiative is a component of wider measures to control increasing migration and tackle delays in removing convicted criminals. Under this scheme, foreign nationals from the listed countries will be deported immediately after sentencing. Appeals will be conducted remotely through video conferencing from their home countries. This strategy intends to relieve the financial strain on British taxpayers by deporting offenders promptly, avoiding the costs associated with them remaining in the UK during appeal proceedings. New regulations enable the deportation of most foreign prisoners after they have served only 30 percent of their sentence, a reduction from the former 50 percent. However, individuals convicted of serious offenses, like terrorism or murder, must still complete their full sentences before deportation. Foreign nationals constitute approximately 12 percent of the UK prison population, with an average annual cost per prisoner. The rapid deportation of Indian nationals is expected to reduce this financial burden. The UK government has invested in placing specialized staff in numerous prisons across England and Wales to expedite the deportation process. The expanded list of impacted nations now includes India alongside others. Further discussions are in progress with additional countries to potentially participate in the scheme, facilitating the swift return of foreign criminals to their home countries while enabling them to appeal from their home countries. The rationale behind the decision underscores the government’s commitment to preventing the exploitation of the immigration system by foreign criminals.