How Many Illegals Are Registered Criminals

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Data on immigration detention relate to twelvemonth catastrophe March 2021 and all comparisons are with year catastrophe March 2020, unless indicated otherwise. Data on returns relate to year ending December 2020 (hereon referred to equally 2020) to let more than fourth dimension for returns to exist recorded on the organisation and ensure the published figure is an authentic representation of the number of returns. See the user guide for more details.

On 11 March 2020, the World Wellness Organisation (WHO) alleged the COVID-nineteen outbreak as a global pandemic. A range of restrictions were implemented in many parts of the world, and the first UK lockdown measures were appear on 23 March 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant bear on on the UK immigration system, both in terms of restricting migrant movements to and from the UK and the bear on on operational chapters.

Twelvemonth and year ending comparisons that follow will include impacts resulting from the restrictions put in identify during this menstruum of the pandemic.

This section contains data on:

Individuals detained in the Dwelling house Role detention manor and prisons solely under Immigration Act powers
Returns of people who exercise not have any legal right to stay in the UK

one. Immigration detention

12,967 people entered detention in twelvemonth catastrophe March 2021, 44% fewer than the previous year.

There has been a full general downward trend in numbers entering detention since the peak in 2015 when over 32,000 people entered detention. At that place were big falls in the number entering detention immediately following the outbreak, only numbers have since increased although remain beneath pre-pandemic levels. Since the pandemic, an increasing proportion of those entering detention have been recent hugger-mugger arrivals detained for short periods for processing. The number detained for other reasons has fallen.

Table ane: People entering, leaving and in detention under immigration powers in the UK, year ending March 2019 to twelvemonth ending March 2021^one,ii,iii

Twelvemonth ending	Entering detention	Leaving detention	In detention	Of which: In the detention manor
March 2019	24,319	25,221	one,839	1,484
March 2020	23,101	23,962	895	555
March 2021	12,967	12,840	1,033	456
Change: latest year	-ten,134	-11,122	138	-99
Percentage change	-44%	-46%	15%	-18%

Source: Clearing detention – Det_D01, Det_D02 and Det_D03
Annotation:

Detained under clearing powers in either the clearing detention estate or a prison house.
Data on those in detention are as at 31 March.
The 'detention manor' comprises Clearing Removal Centers (IRC), Short Term Holding Facilities (STHF) and Pre-departure Accommodation (PDA). It excludes those detained nether immigration powers in prison.

Iranians were the nearly mutual nationality entering detention in the latest year, bookkeeping for 14% of the total, or 1,835 entrants, which is a similar number to the previous year only a college proportion of the full compared with 8% last year. Albanians were the next most common nationality inbound detention, although their number (1,542) was around half that in the previous yr. While most other nationalities saw falls in numbers entering, there was a four and a half-fold increase in the number of Syrians (+580) and a ii and a half-fold increase in Sudanese nationals (+574) compared with the previous year.

As at 31 March 2021, there were 1,033 people in clearing detention (including those detained solely nether clearing powers in prison house), 15% more than at 31 March 2020 (895) immediately following the commencement UK lockdown, but 37% fewer than at 31 December 2019 (one,637), pre-pandemic.

The number of people detained in prisons solely under immigration powers increased by 70%, from 340 at 31 March 2020 to 577 at 31 March 2021. This may reverberate falls in the number of returns, as well as challenges around releasing some foreign national offenders (FNOs) into the community. The number detained in the remainder of the detention estate (IRC, STHF & PDA) at 31 March 2021 was 456. This was 18% fewer than a twelvemonth earlier (immediately after the outbreak of the pandemic), and 64% fewer than pre-pandemic levels (1,278 at the cease of December 2019).

Effigy one: People detained under immigration powers in the UK, past place of detention,as at the last day of the quarter, Q1 2018 to Q1 2021^1,2

Source: Immigration detention – Det_D01
Notes:

The 'detention estate' comprises Immigration Removal Centers (IRC), Brusque Term Holding Facilities (STHF) and Pre-departure Accommodation (PDA). It excludes those who are detained under Immigration powers in prisons.
2019 Q4 is the concluding data point before the pandemic with 2020 Q1 being immediately following the first UK lockdown.

Figure 2 shows that an increasing proportion of people that were detained spent short periods in detention; 64% of those who left detention in year ending March 2021 were detained for seven days or less, up from 38% in the preceding year. This is in part due to an increasing proportion of detainees being those detained for brusk periods on arrival to the Uk before beingness dispersed through advisable routes, such as aviary.

Effigy 2: People leaving clearing detention, past length of detention^one,ii, twelvemonth ending March 2017 to year ending March 2021

Source: Immigration detention – Det_D03
Notes:

Information from July 2017 includes those leaving detention through HM Prisons. Data are non directly comparable with previous years. See the user guide for more details.
' < ' means 'less than'.

Although there have been longer-term falls in the number of returns in recent years, the pandemic has impacted the ability to secure returns – 3,062 people were returned straight from detention in year ending March 2021 (24% of all those leaving detention), down from 8,316 in year ending March 2020 (35% of those leaving). In dissimilarity, in 2010 in that location were 16,577 returns (64% of those leaving detention). A recent research study 'Problems raised by people facing return in immigration detention' (Habitation Role, 2021) provides more data on some of the reasons for this trend.

Figure 3 shows that among the acme 10 nationalities leaving detention in year catastrophe March 2021, at that place were differences in whether people were granted bond or returned from the Britain. For example, 99% (911) of Sudanese nationals and 99% (629) of Eritreans were granted bail. Withal, 85% (719) of Romanians, 79% (329) of Brazilians and 62% (277) of Poles who left detention were returned from the United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland. Changes in the overall proportion of people who receive bail or who are returned from the Great britain will therefore, partly reverberate changes in the mix of nationalities who are detained, and whatsoever barriers to being returned to their country of origin for people who have no right to remain in the UK.

Effigy iii: Top ten nationalitiesⁱ leaving detention by reason for leaving^2,3, in year catastrophe March 2021

Source: Immigration detention – Det_D03
Notes:

Top 10 nationalities in the virtually recent year.
Bailed (SOS & IJ) Secretarial assistant of State & immigration guess.
Other reasons for leaving detention include being sectioned under the Mental Health Human activity, entering criminal detention, being granted leave to enter or remain in the UK, and detained in fault. See the user guide for more details.

2. Returns

In 2020, enforced returns from the UK decreased to iii,327, less than half the number (54% lower) than the previous year, and the lowest number since this serial began in 2004. Although the number of enforced returns has been declining since the peak in 2012, equally figure iv shows, the sharp fall in the latest twelvemonth was related to the impact of the pandemic. There were very few returns in 2020 Q2, immediately following the outbreak. Although numbers did increase slightly in Q3 and Q4, they remained well beneath levels seen over the same period the previous yr – enforced returns between June and Dec 2020 were less than half the number in the same half-dozen months a twelvemonth before (1,622 compared with three,502).

In 2020, there were 4,646 voluntary returns, continuing a downwardly trend since 2016, as figure iv shows.

There were 10,035 passengers who were refused entry at port and subsequently departed (referred to as 'port returns') in 2020, 46% fewer than in 2019. The number of port returns in 2020 Q2 savage significantly as very few passengers arrived in the United kingdom immediately following the outbreak of the COVID-nineteen pandemic. The number of port returns increased in 2020 Q3 and Q4 equally passenger arrivals began to increase, although it remains below 'pre-pandemic levels. Prior to the pandemic, the slight bulk (54% in 2019) of port returns were from Britain ports. In 2020, the slight majority (53%) have been from juxtaposed ports.

Figure 4: Returns from the Britain, past type of return^ane, 2010 to 2020

Source: Returns – Ret_D01
Notes:

'Voluntary returns' include 'other verified returns' which are subject area to upward revision (particularly for the last 12 months) equally in some cases information technology can take time to identify people who take left the UK without informing the Home Office.

The longer-term fall in returns is due to a number of factors. Every bit reported in the publication 'issues raised by people facing return in clearing detention', virtually three-quarters of people detained inside the UK following immigration offences in 2019 raised ane or more than 'issue' likely to preventing return (such as an asylum claim, legal challenge, or referral equally a potential victim of mod slavery), upwards from 63% in 2017. These bug are likely to bear upon non-Eu nationals to a greater extent than European union nationals. The majority of enforced returns occur from detention.

Equally figure 5 shows, prior to the pandemic, the number of enforced returns of not-EU nationals had fallen from over 13,000 in the year catastrophe June 2013 to 3,717 in 2019. Enforced returns of European union nationals too decreased in recent years, post-obit a pinnacle of five,023 in the yr ending June 2017, reaching 3,476 in 2019.

Figure five: Enforced returns from the Uk, for Eu and not-European union nationals¹, 2010 to 2020

Source: Returns – Ret_D01
Notes:

European union nationals may exist returned for abusing or not exercising Treaty rights, or for displacement on public policy grounds such as criminality.

The top five nationalities accounted for 63% of the total enforced returns in 2020, and these were: Romania (21%), Republic of albania (17%), Poland (11%), Lithuania (viii%) and Brazil (five%). All acme 5 nationalities, as for most other nationalities, saw large decreases in enforced returns in 2020 compared with 2019.

Tabular array 2: Top 5 nationalities^1,2 who had enforced returns³ from the Great britain, 2019 and 2020

Nationality	2019	2020	Change	Percent Change
Romania	1,337	711	-626	-47%
Republic of albania	865	561	-304	-35%
Poland	648	382	-266	-41%
Lithuania	427	265	-162	-38%
Brazil	613	174	-439	-72%
Other nationalities	3,303	one,234	-2,069	-63%
Total	7,193	3,327	-3,866	-54%

Source: Returns – Ret_D01
Notes:

Top 5 nationalities in the nigh recent year.
'Other nationalities' includes all nationalities that do not feature in the top 5 in the latest yr.
'Enforced returns' cover enforced removals from detention, non-detained enforced removals and other returns from detention where the Home Office will accept been required to facilitate or monitor the return.

2.one Returns of foreign national offenders (FNOs)

As effigy vi shows, post-obit a steady increase from 2011 to 2016 (4,761 to half-dozen,437) – due to more FNOs from the EU being returned – FNO returns fell to 5,121 in 2019. In 2020, 2,864 FNOs were returned from the Great britain, 44% fewer than the previous twelvemonth (v,121). Although the number of FNO returns has fallen, the reduction has been slightly less than overall enforced returns, which fell 54% over the catamenia.

FNO figures are a subset of the total returns figures and constitute 36% of enforced and voluntary returns, with the majority existence enforced returns.

Of the two,864 FNOs returned from the Uk in 2020:

around two-thirds (67%) were EU nationals (i,933)
around i-3rd (33%) were non-EU nationals (931)

Figure 6: Returns of FNOs¹ from the UK, for Eu and non-Eu nationals, 2010 to 2020

Source: Returns – Summary tables
Notes:

An FNO is someone who is not a British citizen and is/was convicted in the Great britain of any criminal offence, or abroad for a serious criminal offence.

In 2020, in that location were 1,546 asylum related returns (as defined in department 3.2 beneath), 53% fewer than the previous year. This continues a downwards trend since 2010 when there were ten,663. This sharp fall over the decade differs from non-asylum related returns over the aforementioned fourth dimension period which were relatively stable until 2016 simply have been falling since.

Further information on data relating to aviary can be found in the latest Immigration & protection transparency data.

iii. About the statistics

3.1 Immigration detention

The statistics in this section bear witness the number of entries into, and departures from, detention for those held solely under immigration powers. One individual may enter or go out detention multiple times in a given period and will therefore have been counted multiple times in the statistics. Statistics on foreign nationals held in prison for criminal offences are published by the Ministry of Justice in 'Offender management statistics quarterly'.

The detention estate comprises clearing removal centres (IRC), short-term property facilities (STHF) and pre-departure adaptation (PDA).

Data on those inbound detention, past identify of detention, relate to the place of initial detention. An individual who moves from ane office of the detention estate to another will not have been counted as entering any subsequent place of detention. The data, therefore, practice not prove the total number of people who entered each part of the detention estate.

Data on those in detention relate to those in detention on the terminal day of the quarter.

Data on those leaving detention, by place of detention, relate to the place of detention immediately prior to existence released. An private who moves from one function of the detention estate to another has not been counted as leaving each part of the detention estate. The data, therefore, practice non show the full number of people who left each function of the detention estate.

From July 2017, data on detention of immigration detainees in prisons are included in the immigration detention figures. Previously, individuals who were detained in prison would take been recorded in the information upon inbound the detention estate through an IRC, STHF or PDA; now they are recorded upon entering immigration detention within prison. Every bit a upshot, the length of detention of those entering prison prior to July 2017 will exist recorded from the point at which they entered an IRC, STHF or PDA. Time spent in prison nether clearing powers prior to entering an IRC, STHF or PDA is non included in the length of detention figures prior to July 2017.

For those entering detention from July 2017, the length of detention will include time spent in prison under immigration powers prior to entering an IRC, STHF or PDA. Data from 2017 Q3 onwards are therefore non directly comparable with before data. Further details of these changes tin can be establish in the user guide.

Following the introduction of the new Immigration Bail in Schedule x of the Immigration Nib 2016, the reason for leaving detention 'Bailed (SoS)' replaced the existing powers of 'granted temporary admission/release' from 15 January 2018, and 'Bailed (Immigration Judge)' replaced 'Bailed' to differentiate from 'Bailed (SoS)'. See the user guide for more details of this alter.

Data on the number of children entering detention is subject field to modify. This will be a issue of further show of an private'southward historic period coming to light, such every bit an age cess.

Data on deaths in detention include any death of an individual while detained under immigration powers in an IRC, STHF, PDA, under escort, or later leaving detention if the death was as a result of an incident occurring while detained or where there is some apparent data that the death might have resulted from their menstruum of detention and the Dwelling house Office has been informed. The information are included in table Det_05b in the Detention summary tables. Further details can be found in the user guide.

three.2 Returns

Data on returns are published a quarter behind to permit more time for returns (particularly 'other verified returns') to be entered on the organisation prior to publication, ensuring that the published information is an accurate representation of the number of returns. We routinely revise the previous eight quarters of data every bit office of each quarterly release. Therefore, information for the most contempo viii quarters should be considered provisional. Further details on the revisions can be found in the returns section of the user guide.

The statistics in this section show the number of returns from the U.k.. One individual may take been returned more than once in a given period and, if that was the example, would exist counted more than once in the statistics.

The Home Function seeks to render people who do not have a legal correct to stay in the Great britain. This includes people who:

enter, or endeavor to enter, the UK illegally (including people entering clandestinely and by means of deception on entry)
are subject to deportation action; for case, due to a serious criminal conviction
overstay their period of legal right to remain in the UK
breach their weather of leave
take been refused asylum

The term 'deportations' refers to a legally-defined subset of returns, which are enforced either following a criminal conviction, or when it is judged that a person's removal from the Uk is conducive to the public good. The published statistics refer to enforced returns which include deportations, too equally cases where a person has breached UK clearing laws, and those removed under other authoritative and illegal entry powers that have declined to leave voluntarily. Figures on deportations, which are a subset of enforced returns, are not separately available.

Data on voluntary returns are discipline to upwards revision, so comparisons over fourth dimension should exist made with caution. In some cases, individuals who have been told to leave the UK will non notify the Home Office of their divergence from the United kingdom. In such cases, it can take some time for the Home Office to become aware of such a departure and update the system. Every bit a event, data for more recent periods will initially undercount the total number of returns. 'Other verified returns' are particularly affected past this.

Asylum-related returns chronicle to cases where there has been an aviary claim at some stage prior to the return. This will include aviary seekers whose asylum claims have been refused and who have wearied any rights of appeal, those returned nether third-country provisions, too as those granted aviary/protection but removed for other reasons (such as criminality).

Data on the number of people returned from the UK from detention in the 'immigration detention' tables includes those who were refused entry at port in the UK who were afterwards detained and so departed the Uk. Data on those returned from detention in the 'returns' tables exercise non include those refused entry at port, then figures will be lower.

Prior to the UK leaving the EU, certain individuals applying for international protection (asylum) could be returned from the United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland to the relevant Eu fellow member country that was accounted responsible for examining the application, under the Dublin Regulation. Data on returns, and requests for transfer out of the UK under the Dublin Regulation, by commodity and country of transfer, are available from the Aviary data tables. Strengthened inadmissibility rules came into effect on 1 January 2021, post-obit the U.k.'south departure from the EU. Information on cases dealt with nether the inadmissibility rules, for January to March 2021, can be establish in the How many people do nosotros grant asylum or protection to? section. Further details on the Dublin Regulation and inadmissibility rules are gear up out in the user guide.

Eu nationals may be returned for abusing or not exercising Treaty rights, or deported on public policy grounds (such every bit criminality).

Eurostat publishes a range of enforcement data from Eu member states. These data tin be used to make international comparisons.

3.3 The Windrush Scheme

The Windrush generation refers to people from Caribbean countries who were invited by the British government between 1948 and 1971 to migrate to the UK as it faced a labour shortage due to the destruction acquired by Earth War II. Non all of these migrants have documentation confirming their immigration status and, therefore, some may have been dealt with nether clearing powers.

Data relating to the Windrush compensation scheme are published equally part of the Home Office Transparency data.

4. Data tables

Data referred to hither tin be plant in the following tables:

Immigration detention summary tables
Detailed clearing detention datasets
Returns summary tables
Detailed returns datasets

4.1 Review of immigration enforcement information

The Home Role is reviewing the enforcement data that it publishes to ensure information technology provides a comprehensive overview of the enforcement system. The Dwelling house Office will launch a public consultation to enable users to inform future developments in enforcement statistics in due course.

We welcome your feedback

If you have any comments or suggestions for the evolution of this report, delight provide feedback by emailing MigrationStatsEnquiries@homeoffice.gov.united kingdom of great britain and northern ireland. Delight include the words 'PUBLICATION FEEDBACK' in the subject area of your email.

Nosotros're always looking to improve the accessibility of our documents. If you find any problems or accept any feedback relating to accessibility, please electronic mail the states.

See section 7 of the 'About this release' department for more details.