Minister - illegals 'must be deported'

Mar 30 2007 By Neil Elkes, Birmingham Mail

IMMIGRATION minister and Birmingham MP Liam Byrne today ruled out an amnesty for the UK's hidden army of failed asylum seekers.

The Hodge Hill Labour MP said it would not be fair to award citizenship to those who had refused to leave the UK after failing to win their residency through official channels.

It comes after the Birmingham Citizens, a coalition of faith and community groups, launched its Strangers into Citizens campaign.

Four of Birmingham's leading Sikh, Christian and Muslim leaders also backed the amnesty in a letter to the Birmingham Mail last week. Catholic Archbishop Vincent Nicholls said: "As far as officialdom is concerned, these people do not exist. That is unacceptable in a civilised society."

They called for those who have no official status but somehow manage to live and work in the UK to be given the chance to earn their UK passports.

But today Mr Byrne said he did not believe such an amnesty would be in the country's interests and vowed to step up the deportation of failed asylum seekers.

He said: "We have a proud tradition in this country of providing protection of those fleeing persecution. We should preserve this.

"But up to 70 per cent of asylum claims are proved, typically by judges, to be without foundation.

"I think these people shouldn't be allowed to work. We work hard to help people go home voluntarily. But where that hand of support is pushed away, I think we need to detain and deport people.

"Last year - my first as immigration minister - we deported more than ever before.

"There is a matter of principle here; why should people who have broken our laws get a place in the queue for jobs ahead of those people who play by the rules?

"I don't think that's fair and I don't think it will work. In fact, it will make illegal immigration tougher to stop."

He said that amnesties in other European countries had failed to deal with the problem and the backlog of illegal immigrants had built up again.

He said: "We should not underestimate the damage done by illegal working. This is not a victimless crime - it is furthered by unscrupulous employers, who are often found to be breaking health and safety and minimum wage regulations, and by people traffickers exploiting the vulnerable.

"So, amnesties don't work and, frankly, they are not fair for the law-abiding, hardworking citizens of Birmingham."