UK to electronically tag illegal migrants to track movements

UK: The UK Government is to launch a 12-month pilot scheme that will involve some illegal migrants seeking asylum in the country being electronically tagged to keep track of their movements, it emerged on Saturday.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson defended the plans as he said it was essential that people who arrived through dangerous routes on small boats and hidden in lorries could not simply “vanish”.

Documents linked to the UK Home Office proposals suggest that the Government wants to obtain data on how frequently asylum seekers abscond.

“This is a very, very generous welcoming country. Quite right too. I am proud of it, but when people come here illegally, when they break the law, it is important that we make that distinction,” Johnson told reporters on his return from Ukraine. UK Home Secretary Priti Patel labelled the ruling as “absolutely scandalous” and “opaque”. The Government has said the scheme, which has come at an initial cost of GBP 120 million, would discourage people traffickers from facilitating dangerous crossings in unsafe boats. – THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS