Under a new Home Office trial, some asylum seekers who arrived in the UK in small boats or in the back of lorries could be electronically tagged.
A 12-month trial could apply to adults who are due to be deported from the UK after arriving via “dangerous or unnecessary” routes, according to the government.
Boris Johnson stated that it is critical to “ensure that asylum seekers do not simply vanish into the rest of the country.”
Critics argue that the plan criminalises those fleeing persecution.
The pilot’s announcement comes just days after the first flight carrying asylum seekers from the United Kingdom to Rwanda was cancelled due to a last-minute intervention by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).
People who successfully challenged their status will most likely be the first to be tagged.
The Home Office stated that the trial, which began on Thursday in England and Wales, would determine whether tagging aids in maintaining regular contact with asylum seekers and expediting their claims. It will also collect information on how many people flee immigration detention.
Despite the fact that the trial has already begun, the Home Office refused to say whether any migrants had been tagged.
People who have been tagged may face a curfew, and those who fail to comply with their conditions may be detained or prosecuted.