THE UK government will block foreign sex offenders from receiving refugee protections, it said on Monday, as part of its efforts to tighten border security.
The move comes as the Labour government under prime minister Keir Starmer faces pressure over the number of asylum-seeking migrants entering the country and the costs of housing them.
The government has said it aims to reduce illegal migration and speed up the removal of those who are denied refugee status.
An amendment will be made to the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, currently going through parliament, to prevent any foreign national with a conviction that qualifies them for the sex offenders register from being granted refugee status.
"Sex offenders who pose a risk to the community should not be allowed to benefit from refugee protections in the UK," home secretary Yvette Cooper said in a statement.
The government also said it would set new targets to speed up parts of the asylum process. It plans to use AI to assist caseworkers by improving access to country-specific information and helping summarise interviews.
At the end of 2024, there were 90,686 asylum cases awaiting an initial decision.
In January, the government said it had met its target to carry out the highest number of removals since 2018, with 16,400 people removed.
Countries including France, Germany and the United States have also seen a rise in people fleeing conflict and persecution.
The global refugee population has tripled over the last ten years.
