Three African countries are set to take back illegal migrants after the UK threatened them with visa restrictions.
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has become the third African country to agree to take back its citizens following threats from Shabana Mahmood at the end of last year.
The Home Secretary had halted preferential treatment for Congolese diplomats and VIPs and ended fast-track visa processing for the country’s citizens over a lack of cooperation on returning foreign offenders and those without right to be in Britain.
Two other African countries, Namibia and Angola, changed their position and agreed to accept deportees from the UK after being threatened with similar measures in December.
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Ms Mahmood said: “My message is clear, if foreign governments refuse to accept the return of their citizens, then they will face consequences.”
Angola and Namibia both said they would take back their citizens a month after Ms Mahmood identified them as possible targets for penalties.
At the time, the Home Office accused all three countries of frustrating attempts to deport their citizens, refusing to process paperwork or giving people an effective veto over their own removal by requiring them to sign their own documents.
The three countries make up only a handful of people detected entering the UK through irregular routes, but the Home Office said the deal would allow up to 3,000 people to be removed from the country.
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Ms Mahmood said if 'foreign governments refuse to accept the return of their citizens then they will face consequences'
|PA
Ms Mahmood’s threats to impose visa penalties form part of her drive to speed up removals of people with no right to be in the UK, as she seeks to demonstrate progress on cutting irregular migration.
Earlier, the Home Office said more than 15,000 people had been removed from the UK since the 2024 election, a 45 per cent increase on the previous 19 months, while another 43,000 had left voluntarily after being told they were in the country illegally.
Ms Mahmood vowed to “scale up” removals even further, as the Government faces ongoing pressure on immigration and small boat crossings continue in the Channel.
More than 65,000 migrants have arrived in the UK after crossing the Channel since Sir Keir Starmer became Prime Minister.
More than 65,000 migrants have arrived in the UK after crossing the Channel since Sir Keir Starmer became Prime Minister
|PA
Labour is continuing its effort to clamp down on people smuggling gangs and others helping migrants to make the journey.
Sir Keir announced during his recent trip to China that he had negotiated a deal with the Chinese authorities aimed at preventing boat motors made in the country from ending up in the hands of people smugglers.
A Home Office crackdown on adverts telling migrants how to circumvent immigration checks meanwhile came into force earlier this week.
Appearing before the Home Affairs Committee on Wednesday, Ms Mahmood said there is no guarantee the number of small boat crossings will fall by this time next year.
The Birmingham Ladywood MP told the committee the number of crossings is “unacceptable”, but said there is no “silver bullet” and the problem needs “long-term, careful, painful work” to resolve.
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