The UK Labour government is intensifying efforts to deport large numbers of undocumented migrants in a bid to reduce the number of refugees in the country.
According to a government official, the Home Office has recently issued a contract to find commercial partners to assist in the reintegration of individuals who do not have the right to remain in the United Kingdom back into their home countries.
The contract, valued at £15 million ($19.7 million) and lasting three years, was published last week.
It seeks partners who can provide suitable reintegration services to help migrants return to 11 different countries, including Albania, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Iraq, Jamaica, Nigeria, Pakistan, Vietnam, and Zimbabwe.
These services will include providing food, tracking family members, and offering support to access the job market, among other forms of assistance.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced last week that the government aims to reach the highest levels of deportation in five years for asylum seekers whose applications have been rejected, within the next six months.
The goal is to deport over 14,000 people by the end of the year, according to British media reports.
A spokesperson for the Home Office stated that the government plans to significantly intensify enforcement and repatriation activities related to immigration, ensuring that individuals who do not have the right to be in the United Kingdom are removed and that the laws are respected and enforced.
