Illegal immigrants face six months in jail if they are caught driving in the UK


  • Ministers new laws will make it harder to remain in Britain illegally
  • New offence driving while unlawfully in the UK to carry six months in jail
  • Landlords will have to check the immigration status of all new tenants
  • Public sector staff face checks to ensure they can speak English


By MATT CHORLEY, POLITICAL EDITOR FOR MAILONLINE

PUBLISHED: 09:30 EST, 17 September 2015 | UPDATED: 10:26 EST, 17 September 2015

Illegal immigrants face being jailed if they are caught driving in Britain under new laws announced today.

Ministers plan to create a new offence of driving while unlawfully in the UK to make it more difficult for for people to live here illegally.


It is part of the Immigration Bill which the government says will make it harder to make a life in Britain, including cracking down on work, banking and housing.



Illegal immigrants face being jailed if they are caught driving in Britain under new laws announced today (stock image)

Under the new motoring offence, someone caught in driving without permission to be in UK faces a sentence of up to six months in prison.

They could also be hit with an unlimited fine and have their cars seized by the authorities.


Immigration enforcement officers will be given powers to search people and properties and seize driving licences of suspected illegal immigrants.



The crackdown is included in the Government's new Immigration Bill, which has been published by the Home Office.

It contains a raft of measures designed to reduce the number of 'pull factors' seen as drawing migrants to come to Britain illegally.


It has already been revealed that under the new regime illegal immigrants could face up to six months in jail and have their wages seized if they are found to be working.



Immigration minister James Brokenshire said the government was taking 'tougher action than ever before on those who flout the law'

Immigration minister James Brokenshire said: 'The message is clear - if you are here illegally, you shouldn't be entitled to receive the everyday benefits and services available to hard-working UK families and people who have come to this country legitimately to contribute.

'Whether it is working, renting a flat, having a bank account or driving a car, the new Immigration Bill will help us to take tougher action than ever before on those who flout the law.'


In recent weeks ministers have faced criticism over the handling of the Calais crisis, while last month official figures showed net migration is at record levels, dealing a devastating blow to David Cameron's aim to cut the index to five figures.


A number of the measures in the new legislation have already been outlined by the Government.


They include powers to close late-night takeaways and off-licences if they are caught employing workers with no legal right to be in the country, forcing banks to check current accounts against migrant databases, and possible jail sentences for landlords who fail to remove illegal immigrants.


Immigrants who cannot speak good English will also be barred from state jobs where they deal with the public to reverse a 'disastrous' lack of fluency.


The reforms state any worker in a 'customer-facing' role across public services such as the NHS, armed forces and state schools must have the equivalent of a C or above at GCSE.

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