UK to relocate failed asylum-seekers to Western Balkans

The UK government, led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, is planning to send failed asylum-seekers to migrant centers in the Western Balkans. This proposal aims to deter people from arriving in small boats. Countries like Albania, Serbia, and Bosnia could house these migrants after their asylum claims have been rejected. Asylum-seekers from countries considered safe by UK law, such as India, may be detained in these hubs while arrangements for their deportation are made. Those from countries deemed unsafe, like Afghanistan, could also be sent to these centers. In 2024, the UK saw 36,816 arrivals by small boats, with 292 coming from India. A significant number, 5,312 Indians, claimed asylum in the UK that same year. Starmer’s plans gained momentum after the European Union announced that members could set up return hubs outside their borders for rejected asylum-seekers. This new plan is different from the previous government’s Rwanda scheme, which aimed to send illegal asylum-seekers to Rwanda for processing. Labour canceled that scheme in July 2024. Critics like Tory MP Chris Philp argue that Labour's current plans show they were wrong to cancel the Rwanda scheme. However, Enver Solomon, the chief executive of the Refugee Council, condemned the idea of forcibly removing people, saying it is inhumane, and that returns should be handled with dignity.