Migrants who have been fighting deportation from the UK received more than £70million in legal aid in just five years, figures have shown.
Legal costs totalled £71million between 2019 and 2023, averaging around £38,000 a day.
A record £18million was forked out in 2020, with the costs coming in at £13million last year.
Costs continue to skyrocket as the Home Office struggles to get its Rwanda policy off the ground.
Migrants continue to cross the Channel
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A huge asylum backlog puts further pressure on the Government, with hundreds of illegal immigrants arriving every week.
More than 500 migrants crossed the English Channel last Wednesday.
The total broke with a previous 2024 high of 401 on March 4.
Channel crossings have grown by about 10 per cent compared to this time last year, with the figure already exceeding 4,000.
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More migrants have been arriving on British shores
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Solicitors are given to asylum seekers when the Home Office decides not to grant them leave in the UK.
There were a total of 29,437 arrivals across the whole of 2023.
Campaigners warn lawyers are lining their pockets by convincing vulnerable immigrants to launch a series of expensive court bids without the realistic prospect of remaining in the UK.
Tory MP Nigel Mills said: “These figures show that the Legal Aid system needs to be monitored much more robustly to ensure we are not wasting money on spurious appeals and blatant delaying tactics.
Huge numbers of migrants are still coming to Britain via small boats PAPeople are entitled to legal representation but taxpayers are entitled to know their money is not being wasted and that funding these appeals is justified.
“Appeals like these should only be allowed if there is very clear evidence the Home Office’s decision is wrong.
“We need to get the message out that if you come here and you haven’t got a case, you will be rejected and you will be deported.”
Alp Mehmet, Chairman of the Migration Watch think tank, added: “Dealing with and removing illegal arrivals swiftly is the only way to discourage them from coming, save the taxpayer huge sums and stem the tide of clients for traffickers and activist lawyers.”
However, a Government spokesman said: “The UK has a proud history of welcoming and supporting those in need of our protection and legal aid helps ensure decisions on who can stay – and who cannot – are made correctly, preventing costlier court cases.”
William Turner is a seasoned U.K. correspondent with a deep understanding of domestic affairs. With a passion for British politics and culture, he provides insightful analysis and comprehensive coverage of events within the United Kingdom.
