The number of foreign offenders slated for deportation who continue to reside in Britain has climbed to a record high, increasing by nearly 10% since the Labour party took power in July 2024. According to findings from the Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford, approximately 18,070 such individuals were in the community after serving their sentences in July 2024. This figure rose to 19,780 in the first quarter of the current year.
This rise dwarfs the number of foreign national offenders (FNOs) being repatriated, which stood at 5,858 in the year ending March 2026. Experts suggest that Labour's early release scheme, introduced in September 2024 to address prison overcrowding, may have contributed to this growing backlog. An additional 5,000 offenders are slated for early release in October under a similar initiative.
Among those potentially to be released early are two of the killers of PC Andrew Harper, Albert Bowers and Jessie Cole, prompting Prime Minister Andy Burnham to seek ways to prevent their release. Under current law, the government is obligated to deport FNOs sentenced to 12 months or more unless they successfully appeal on human rights or other grounds. Shorter-sentenced individuals can be deported if deemed beneficial to the UK.
Chris Philp, the Conservative Party's shadow home secretary, criticized the government's handling of the issue, stating that Labour's early release scheme has worsened the situation. He added that a further wave of early releases later this year could grant more foreign offenders their freedom.
Alp Mehmet, chairman of Migration Watch UK, expressed pessimism about the situation improving, suggesting it is more likely to worsen. He indicated that there is no evidence that the current government has a better grasp on border control or immigration than its predecessor. He also noted that early release schemes are making the problem more severe.
The specific nationalities and crimes of the nearly 20,000 individuals marked for deportation are not detailed. Generally, they are released on immigration bail pending deportation arrangements.
The study also highlighted that Albanians were disproportionately involved in drug offenses, accounting for 29% of all drug offenses committed by foreigners in 2024, nearly four times more than any other foreign nationality. Poles constituted the next largest group at 8%. Overall, foreigners represented 16% of all drug offenses in 2024, despite making up 13.5% of the general population.
Dr. Ben Brindle, the report's author and a senior researcher at the Migration Observatory, stated that while the number of FNOs being deported has increased, the number residing in the community has also risen, indicating that removals have not kept pace with prison releases.
A significant challenge in deporting foreign offenders is the lack of cooperation from some countries, which are legally obliged but often fail in practice to accept their citizens back. For instance, only 10 Iranian offenders were removed in the year ending March 2026, despite Iranians being a common foreign nationality in English and Welsh prisons. The Home Office has been contacted for comment.