UK Puts Kenyans, Other Nationals On Notice For Immediate Deportation
Kenyans who commit felonies in the United Kingdom (UK) face swift deportation after the British government passed broad new legislation to expedite the removal of foreign offenders from the nation.
In a major policy move revealed on Sunday, August 10, the UK stated that foreign nationals jailed for criminal offenses will be deported immediately after conviction.
The new measures are part of the UK’s “Plan for Change” strategy, which aims to enhance border controls and reduce prison expenses.
The UK government also wants to protect the public by removing foreign offenders as quickly as possible.
According to the UK government, the move was spurred by a growing tendency of foreigners abusing the immigration system.
Previously, foreign nationals had to serve at least half of their prison sentences in the country before being deported.
In June 2025, the prison term requirement for deportation was dropped to 30%.
However, recent legal reforms have allowed for quick deportation following sentencing in some situations.
Shabana Mahmood, the UK Justice Secretary, is one of the most vocal supporters of the new legislation.
Mahmood emphasizes that the purpose was to make British streets safer while reducing the cost burden of running jails on taxpayers.
So is Shabana Mahmood now happy to see her Constituent deported to Jamaica? https://t.co/l5eDvNq4Jb pic.twitter.com/wbJ0EWnH4J
— TimForAlI 🇬🇧🇺🇦🇮🇱🇬🇪 (@timmyvoe) August 10, 2025
“If you abuse our hospitality and break our laws, we will send you packing,” she stated.
With British jails approaching 100% capacity, it is projected that the UK government incurs an average yearly expenditure of Ksh9.4 million (£54,000) per convict, all of which is borne by UK taxpayers.
Since July 2024, deportations of foreign national offenders (FNOs) have increased by 14%, with at least 5,200 foreigners expelled from the country in the last year.
Kenya has now been formally added to the list of 15 nations covered by the UK’s “Deport Now, Appeal Later” policy.
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Other new additions include Uganda, Malaysia, Canada, and India.
The greater crackdown on migration and criminal conduct by non-UK nationals comes in response to a recent troubling figure.
The survey shows that 12.3 per cent of the prison population in England and Wales consists of foreign nationals. This equated to 10,700 inmates.
The UK is the latest country to crack down on foreigners, including Kenyans, after the U.S. imposed a wave of tighter regulations in a bid to combat the issue of illegal immigrants under President Donald Trump’s regime.
UK Puts Kenyans, Other Nationals On Notice For Immediate Deportation
