A petition to deport all foreign criminals from the UK has passed a major milestone. The online document, which was started in April by Alexander Bhagat, now has more than 15,000 signatures. The Government has responded to it as it has garnered more than 10,000. The petition reads: “Deport all foreign-born criminals and individuals currently on the terror watchlist to their countries of origin with effect immediately.

“We believe the British people do not need to pay for this, and in an ever-changing world, should not be subjected to having these people as neighbours.” The Home Office said in response: “The Government is determined to deport all foreign national offenders.

“Deportation will be used, against them and those whose deportation is otherwise considered to be conducive to the public good. The Government is clear foreign nationals who abuse our hospitality by committing crimes should be in no doubt of our determination to deport them.

“Under the UK Borders Act 2007, a deportation order must be made where a foreign national has been convicted of an offence and received a custodial sentence of at least 12 months. This includes suspended sentences.

“This duty is subject to several exceptions, including where to do so would breach a person’s rights under the European Convention on Human Rights or the UK’s obligations under the Refugee Convention. Where the threshold for deportation under the UK Borders Act 2007 is not met, deportation is considered under the Immigration Act 1971 on the ground it is conducive to the public good.

“This includes where a foreign national has a conviction for an offence that caused serious harm, if they are a persistent offender or if they pose a threat to national security. A deportation order prevents an individual from lawfully re-entering the UK whilst it remains in force.

“The Home Office uses various tools (including domestic and international watchlists) to detect and disrupt travel by terrorists, criminals, those previously deported or excluded from the UK and individuals using lost, stolen or revoked documents and visas. The Home Office works with both law enforcement and wider government partners to ensure appropriate action is taken before travel or at the border when individuals of concern are identified.”

The petition closes on October 27. Reform UK said last week that it would deport foreign nationals in Britain’s jails to free up space as 700 prisoners were released. There were around 10,400 (3,588 remand, 6,458 sentenced and 441 non-criminal) held in custody as of March this year.

Huge Petition to Deport All Foreign Criminals from the UK Passes Major Milestone

A petition calling for foreign-born criminals and individuals on the UK’s terror watchlist to be deported has attracted more than 15,000 signatures, intensifying debate over immigration enforcement, public safety and the Government’s approach to removing foreign national offenders.

The campaign, launched by Alexander Bhagat in April 2026, has already received an official response from the Government after passing the 10,000-signature threshold. However, it remains some distance from the 100,000 signatures required for consideration for a parliamentary debate. According to the official UK Parliament petitions website, the petition is due to close on October 27, 2026. <Cite refs={[“turn673615search0″,”turn673615search4”]}/>

The campaign comes amid continuing political pressure on ministers to demonstrate that people who commit serious crimes in Britain can be removed from the country when the law permits.

What does the petition demand?

The petition calls for the immediate deportation of foreign-born criminals and people currently on the terror watchlist to their countries of origin.

Its author argues that British taxpayers should not have to bear the cost of accommodating people who have committed crimes or are considered security risks. The proposal reflects concerns about prison capacity, the cost of immigration enforcement and the Government’s ability to protect the public.

The petition’s wording, however, covers several legally different groups. A foreign national convicted of a serious offence, someone who has completed a prison sentence and a person identified through security monitoring are not automatically subject to the same legal process.

A person appearing on a security watchlist, for example, may be subject to intelligence checks without having been convicted of a criminal offence. Any decision to remove that individual must therefore be considered under the relevant immigration and national security powers.

The petition expresses a clear demand for tougher action, but achieving that objective would require decisions to comply with the law governing deportation and individual cases.

Government responds to public pressure

The Home Office responded to the petition on May 22, stating that the Government was determined to deport foreign national offenders.

Under the UK Borders Act 2007, qualifying foreign nationals who receive a custodial sentence of at least 12 months generally fall within the automatic deportation framework. The duty is subject to statutory exceptions, including circumstances in which deportation would breach certain human rights obligations or the UK’s responsibilities under the Refugee Convention.

Where the automatic deportation threshold is not met, the authorities may consider removal under other provisions, including the Immigration Act 1971. The Government says deportation can also be pursued where a foreign national has committed an offence causing serious harm, is a persistent offender or poses a threat to national security. <Cite refs={[“turn673615search0″,”turn673615search4”]}/>

This means the Government already has significant powers to remove foreign criminals. The central questions concern how those powers are applied, how quickly eligible people can be removed and what legal or practical barriers may prevent a particular deportation.

The Home Office has also said it uses domestic and international watchlists to identify people who may pose security risks, people previously deported and individuals travelling with lost, stolen or revoked documents.

However, the Government’s response does not promise that every person covered by the petition’s broad wording can legally be deported immediately.

Why deportation remains a political issue

Immigration enforcement has become an important issue in British politics, with parties facing questions about border security, public spending and the treatment of foreign nationals who break the law.

Supporters of tougher deportation measures argue that foreign nationals who commit serious offences should generally lose the right to remain in Britain. They also question why taxpayers should continue to fund detention and supervision when a lawful return to another country may be possible.

Others emphasise that deportation must follow an established legal process. Authorities need to establish identity and nationality, obtain travel documents and determine whether any legal restrictions prevent removal.

Some cases also involve challenges to deportation decisions, asylum claims or concerns about what could happen to an individual if they were returned to their country of origin.

These requirements do not mean that deportation is impossible. They mean that the Government must assess individual cases and ensure that decisions comply with the applicable law.

For ministers, the challenge is to make the system efficient enough to carry out lawful removals promptly while avoiding decisions that cannot withstand legal scrutiny.

Foreign national offender returns have increased

Official figures show that the Government has been returning foreign national offenders, although the numbers need to be distinguished from total immigration returns.

Home Office data recorded 5,928 foreign national offender returns in the 12 months ending July 2026, compared with 5,363 in the preceding 12-month period. That represented an increase of approximately 11 per cent. <Cite refs={[“turn673615search6″,”turn673615search2”]}/>

The wider total of immigration returns includes people without a legal right to remain, voluntary departures and other categories. It should not be interpreted as the number of convicted foreign criminals who were forcibly deported.

These figures indicate that removals are taking place, but they do not establish how many people who might be eligible for deportation remain in Britain or how many cases are delayed by legal proceedings, documentation problems or difficulties obtaining acceptance from another country.

The Government has said it intends to increase enforcement capacity and improve the speed and efficiency of returns. Those efforts form part of a wider immigration policy aimed at removing people who have no legal basis to remain in the UK.

Whether the measures will deliver the scale of removals demanded by campaigners remains a matter of continuing political debate.

The pressure on Britain’s prisons

The petition has also drawn attention to the relationship between deportation policy and prison capacity.

Foreign nationals make up a significant proportion of the prison population, but not everyone in custody can be deported immediately. Some people are awaiting trial, while others are serving sentences or have unresolved legal issues affecting their immigration status.

The Government has pursued measures intended to make eligible foreign national offenders available for removal earlier in their sentences. It has also sought to increase the use of existing deportation powers.

Supporters say removing eligible offenders can help reduce pressure on the prison system and demonstrate that criminal convictions have consequences for a foreign national’s right to remain in Britain.

However, deportation is not a substitute for the criminal justice process. Authorities must consider the sentence, the individual’s eligibility for removal and any relevant legal restrictions.

The petition’s demand for universal and immediate deportation therefore goes beyond the existing system, which operates through defined legal powers and case-by-case decisions.

What happens if the petition reaches 100,000 signatures?

The petition has passed the 10,000-signature threshold that triggers a Government response. Its next major milestone is 100,000 signatures, at which point it will be considered for a debate in Parliament. Reaching that number does not guarantee that a debate will take place, nor does it automatically change the law. <Cite refs={[“turn673615search0″,”turn673615search7”]}/>

With the October 27 deadline approaching, the petition has limited time to attract the additional signatures needed to reach that threshold.

Even if it falls short, the campaign may still contribute to political discussion about deportation and immigration enforcement. Petitions can highlight public concerns and put pressure on ministers to explain existing policies, even when they do not lead directly to parliamentary debates.

Any change to deportation law would require the appropriate action by the Government and, where necessary, Parliament.

Public safety and legal safeguards

The debate involves several important considerations: protecting the public, enforcing criminal sentences, maintaining immigration controls and complying with legal obligations.

Supporters of tougher deportation measures believe that foreign nationals convicted of serious crimes should generally be removed once the law allows it. They argue that the public expects an immigration system capable of enforcing its decisions and preventing persistent offenders from remaining in the country unlawfully.

At the same time, authorities must distinguish between criminal convictions, intelligence assessments and immigration violations. These categories have different legal implications, and a person should not be treated as having committed a crime simply because they appear on a security watchlist.

A workable system must also account for cases in which removal is delayed by missing documents, disputes over nationality or legal challenges that need to be resolved.

The Government’s task is to ensure that safeguards do not become an excuse for unnecessary delay, while also ensuring that removal decisions are lawful.

What happens next?

The petition’s immediate future will depend on whether it can attract enough signatures before its closing date. Its broader political significance will depend on whether the campaign encourages further pressure on the Government to accelerate lawful deportations.

The Home Office has already confirmed its intention to deport foreign national offenders, and official figures show that returns have increased. But the petition’s demand for the immediate deportation of every foreign-born criminal and person on the terror watchlist raises questions that go beyond simply increasing enforcement numbers.

For now, the petition represents a public demand for a tougher approach rather than a change in the law. Its progress will be watched by campaigners and politicians as the wider debate over immigration, criminal justice and national security continues.

The key issue facing ministers is how to translate public concern into an effective policy that removes eligible offenders promptly, protects the public and respects the legal requirements governing individual cases.