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Illegal immigration 'crackdown' Illegal immigration 'crackdown'
(about 6 hours later)
Immigration officers would be able to arrest British citizens who help to smuggle people into the country, under Home Office plans being unveiled. Four hundred and forty police officers are being seconded to help tackle illegal immigration in the UK.
The public will be encouraged to report suspects and companies will be punished for hiring those in the UK illegally. They will be among 800 new immigration staff - a 25% increase in staff - unveiled by Home Secretary John Reid.
The government has already said it is doubling the budget for deportations. The plans will allow Britons involved in people-smuggling to be arrested, firms to face larger fines, and the public encouraged to report suspects.
But the scheme added little to officers' current powers and would make firms "reluctant to recruit anybody", the Immigration Advisory Service said. But the Conservatives said the scheme would result in "badly-needed police officers being taken off the beat".
"Immigration officers have already been given very significant powers to remove people without the need for police," chief executive Keith Best told BBC Radio Five Live. "Over the last nine years, we have actually seen immigration officers instructed not to arrest illegal immigrants, merely to meet the prime minister's artificial targets on removing failed asylum-seekers," said shadow home secretary David Davis.
"People-trafficking and all its associated evils is one of the fastest-growing and most vicious crimes, yet the government's policy so far has been one of neglect."
We are very clear that we do not want this to have an impact on police officers' frontline work Home Office spokeswoman
The 400 police constables and 40 sergeants moving across to the Immigration and Nationality Directorate will be joined by 360 newly-recruited immigration officers.
A Home Office spokeswoman rebuffed Mr Davis's fears, insisting: "We are very clear that we do not want this to have an impact on police officers' frontline work.
"There won't be any police officers taken off the front line," she said.
Crimestoppers
Under the plans, members of the public will - for the first time - be able to report illegal workers and illegal immigrants using the free Crimestoppers telephone line from 1 January.
And ministers intend to create 650 extra detention spaces for illegal immigrants by the end of 2007, possibly using prison barges which the Home Office is currently looking into buying.
I'm fearful that's going to lead to discrimination against anybody who looks as though they might be a foreigner Keith BestImmigration Advisory ServiceI'm fearful that's going to lead to discrimination against anybody who looks as though they might be a foreigner Keith BestImmigration Advisory Service
"They've been given powers to detain people and suchlike in previous legislation and so they don't really need more powers. The government has already said it was doubling the budget for deportations to nearly £300m, and a bill tackling deportations was included in last week's Queen's Speech.
"The trouble with the provisions for civil penalties for employers is that it's going to make employers even more reluctant to recruit anybody, to employ anybody whom they think might not be lawfully entitled to work. The Border and Immigration Bill seeks to speed up the process of deporting criminals and tackle loopholes through which illegal immigrants enter the country.
"And I'm fearful that's going to lead to discrimination against anybody who looks as though they might be a foreigner."
A bill tackling deportations was included in last week's Queen's Speech.
The Border and Immigration Bill, set before Parliament by Home Secretary John Reid, seeks to speed up the process of deporting criminals and tackle loopholes through which illegal immigrants enter the country.
Budget increase
The government has already said it is doubling the budget for deportations to nearly £300m.
It hopes the Home Office measures will increase the number of people who can be removed from the UK.
The measures are seen as a response to criticism from political opponents about a perceived failure to deport enough of those identified as being in the UK illegally.The measures are seen as a response to criticism from political opponents about a perceived failure to deport enough of those identified as being in the UK illegally.
There were nearly 5,000 deportations in the last three-month period for which figures were available, which constituted a record.There were nearly 5,000 deportations in the last three-month period for which figures were available, which constituted a record.
'Possible discrimination'
But critics say this is nothing compared to the estimated 500,000 people who are in the UK illegally.But critics say this is nothing compared to the estimated 500,000 people who are in the UK illegally.
The idea of penalising businesses did not find favour with the Immigration Advisory Service, which said firms would become "reluctant to recruit anybody".
"The trouble with the provisions for civil penalties for employers is that it's going to make employers even more reluctant to recruit anybody, to employ anybody whom they think might not be lawfully entitled to work," chief executive Keith Best told BBC Radio Five Live.
"I'm fearful that's going to lead to discrimination against anybody who looks as though they might be a foreigner."