The British government has introduced stricter immigration rules, making it nearly impossible for undocumented migrants arriving by small boats or hidden in vehicles to gain citizenship.
A Home Office spokesperson stated on Wednesday that the new guidance reinforces measures to ensure that illegal entrants, including small boat arrivals, will have their British citizenship applications refused.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour government faces mounting pressure to curb migration, particularly after Nigel Farage’s anti-immigration Reform UK party secured around four million votes in the last general election.
However, the policy has drawn criticism from some Labour MPs, including Stella Creasy, who argued that recognized refugees should not be denied a path to citizenship. Immigration law experts have also condemned the move, warning that it could severely impact refugee integration.
The announcement follows debates on the government’s new Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, which aims to dismantle smuggling networks facilitating irregular migration across the Channel.
Migration remains a major political issue in the UK. While Starmer scrapped the controversial Rwanda deportation plan upon taking office, he has pledged to crack down on criminal gangs responsible for illegal crossings.
Official data shows that 36,816 migrants crossed the Channel in 2024, a 25% increase from 2023.
