Priti Patel – 2021 Comments on Illegal Migration

The comments made by Priti Patel, the Home Secretary, on 20 July 2021.

The British people have simply had enough of illegal migration and the exploitation of migrants by criminal gangs.

Illegal immigration is driven by serious organised criminals and people smugglers. The public are rightly angry that small boats are arriving on our shores, facilitated by appalling criminal gangs who profit from human misery and put lives at risk.

The government is addressing the challenge of illegal migration for the first time in over two decades through comprehensive reform of our asylum system which will enable us to going after the gangs exploiting people, deter illegal entry into the UK, introduce new and tougher criminal offences for those attempting to enter the UK illegally and strengthen our ability to remove those with no legal right to be in the UK.