The government of the United Kingdom has agreed to conduct a review of national security legislation enabling people to be deported for posing a "terrorist threat" after revelations in the British press of the power being repeatedly misused.
Section 322 (5) of the Immigration Act allows for an individual deemed to pose a risk involving terrorist activity to be deported from the United Kingdom.
Just on Tuesday, the new Home Secretary Sajid Javid admitted in a letter to the House of Commons Select Committee that around 20 highly skilled UK residents had been wrongfully deported under the measure. Around 1,000 highly skilled individuals are currently facing deportation from the country under the controversial legislation.
The government have been using sections of Immigration Act to deport highly skilled migrants forced from UK… this is complete madness — these are the very people we need in our country to help rebuild our economy after the stupidity of Brexit https://t.co/eptYKLjJU5
— Paul Singh (@Paul1Singh) May 30, 2018
Government U-turn over anti-terror law used to deport migrants
— Peter Timmins #FBPE (@petertimmins3) May 30, 2018
Section of Immigration Act to be reviewed after misuse of clause saw highly skilled migrants forced from UK
https://t.co/IoPONBRI7n
Roman Abramovich as an Israel citizen will not need a visa to enter UK on visit for 6 months. However, I do not think that the UK Government will let him make a mockery of UK Immigration law.
— Thomas Ddumba (@tomddumba) May 28, 2018
The government's U-turn comes in the aftermath of the Windrush Scandal, which claimed the job of Home Secretary Amber Rudd and raised questions over Prime Minister Theresa May's position due to her implementation of the policy during her tenure in the role.
The "Windrush Generation" refers to immigrants from former British Colonies, mostly in the Caribbean, in the post-war decades and were granted indefinite leave to remain but have never acquired citizenship.