A record 44 Nigerians and Ghanaians were deported from the UK on a single flight on Friday, indicating a significant increase in immigration enforcement.
More than 3,600 people have been deported since the Labour government took office in July, according to the Home Office, which confirmed the deportations as part of a larger surge in immigration returns.
Flights to Timor-Leste, Brazil, and Vietnam have been part of these efforts, as have ongoing flights to Albania, Lithuania, and Romania.
The news about how the UK treats asylum seekers on Diego Garcia, a remote island in the Indian Ocean, coincides with this deportation.
The UK is finishing a deal with Mauritius over the Chagos Islands, which could prompt any new refuge searchers on the island being shipped off Holy person Helena, another distant English region.
However, due to an awaiting legal decision regarding their detention, approximately sixty Tamils who have been stranded on Diego Garcia since 2021 will not be included in this arrangement.
The deportations were condemned by the Migrants' Rights Network's CEO, Fizza Qureshi, who criticized the procedure for its speed, secrecy, and lack of legal support.
She called it "cruelty" and said that the prisoners felt helpless.
A spokesperson for the Home Office responded by stressing the government's commitment to enforcing immigration regulations and prompt return of those who do not have the right to remain in the UK.
