Fewer than one in 20 foreign criminals from some countries are being deported

Deportation rates for foreign criminals

Fewer than five per cent of foreign criminals from Nigeria and Algeria were deported in June 2025.

Lower deportation rates for other countries

The proportion was even lower for offenders from Morocco and Sri Lanka, with just 3.1 per cent for Jamaicans.

Labour's deportation figures

Labour returned 35,000 people during its first year in office, but only 30 per cent were foreign criminals.

Awaiting deportation

773 offenders were awaiting deportation to Nigeria in June 2025, a 4.8 per cent deportation rate from the previous year.

Jamaica deportation rates

775 offenders from Jamaica were living in the community with just 24 removed in the previous year, a rate of 3.1 per cent.

Bangladeshi deportation rates

Bangladeshi criminals faced a return rate of roughly 6 per cent.

Shadow home secretary's comments

Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said: 'Only a tiny fraction of criminals from countries like Jamaica, Nigeria, Somalia, Algeria, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe or even India get returned.'

“Only a tiny fraction of criminals from countries like Jamaica, Nigeria, Somalia, Algeria, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe or even India get returned.”

Conservative deportation stance

Conservatives would 'not be squeamish about deporting to countries of origin which Labour do not deport to'.

Conservative deportation plan

Only the Conservatives have a detailed plan to deport all foreign criminals by leaving the ECHR and banning asylum and modern slavery claims by foreign criminals.

Home Office data

The latest Home Office data shows a total of 21,294 offenders were still living in the UK despite facing deportation in June 2026.

Decade increase

This figure has more than tripled over the past decade, from 5,928 in June 2016.

Labour's Sentencing Act impact

The increase was blamed on the impact of Labour's Sentencing Act, which has seen thousands of criminals released early as part of efforts to combat prison overcrowding.

Awaiting deportation at election

The number of foreign criminals awaiting deportation stood at 17,677 at the time of the General Election in 2024.

Reoffending cases

Foreign criminals have gone on to reoffend while subject to deportation orders.

Radiet Meles case

Radiet Meles, a former soldier from Eritrea, was expected to be deported after completing his sentence for a horrific sexual assault in 2019.

Gift Oladele case

Gift Oladele, from Nigeria, was jailed for 17 years earlier this year for raping and sexually assaulting a young woman in Wrexham.

Home Office response

The Home Office said: 'Returns are at their highest level in nearly a decade. Nearly 12,000 foreign criminals, including murderers and rapists, have been returned or deported in the two years since the last election…

“Returns are at their highest level in nearly a decade. Nearly 12,000 foreign criminals, including murderers and rapists, have been returned or deported in the two years since the last election, representing a 41 per cent increase on the two years prior.”