Britain is moving to deport Syrian asylum seekers... The Ministry of Interior is going ahead with its plan despite security warnings

The British government is heading to take an unprecedented step in the immigration file, after recent British and European press reports revealed the Interior Ministry's intention to intensify the deportation of Syrian asylum seekers to Syria, despite security warnings and objections within the government itself, and these developments come within the framework of a broader campaign to reset the asylum system and tighten border controls.

Ministry of Interior: Deportation to Syria is a "top priority"

British Home Secretary Shabana Mohamud has made the deportation of Syrians one of her immediate priorities, in a move aimed at "reducing the number of asylum seekers" and showing government firmness after deportation plans to Rwanda faltered.

The National  newspaper indicates that the ministry is moving forward with its plan despite official objections within the government, most notably from the minister of Middle East affairs, who expressed concerns regarding the safety of those returning to Syria in light of the ongoing security unrest. 

The UK government ignores security risks

British reports have confirmed that the Home Office is "ignoring clear security warnings" about the situation in Syria, noting that the recent situation in Syria makes any deportation "risky".

Government sources also indicated that the ministry considers the deportation a  "necessary step" within the immigration reforms announced by the government last year, and in the same context, the sources indicated that the ministry is  "moving forward without hesitation" in implementing the plan, despite widespread criticism from human rights organizations and legal experts.

Division within the British government

British radio LBC confirmed that the decision has sparked division within the government, with Foreign Office officials expressing concern that deportation to Syria could expose Britain to international criticism, especially since Syria is still classified by the United Nations as an unsafe country for the return of refugees.

The Interior Ministry sees the decision as  a "political necessity" to curb the flow of small boats across the English Channel, where Syrians make up a growing proportion of arrivals.

Forced Deportation Program Under Consideration

The UK government is considering resuming the forcible deportation programme for Syrians for the first time in more than a decade, with 3,500 residency applications for Syrians currently under review, so the programme could later include "other countries", as part of a new government policy aimed at "reassessing humanitarian protection files".