Proposed U.K. law could see asylum seekers jailed for up to 4 years

London — The British government has introduced a bill that would allow authorities to criminally prosecute and jail asylum seekers who are intercepted trying to enter the United Kingdom without permission for up to five years. The proposed legislation would also limit the rights and protections currently afforded to people who claim asylum after entering the U.K. "without valid entry clearance."

Under the Nationality and Borders Bill, which has not yet been passed into law, if a person arrives in the U.K. using a regulated route — having obtained a travel visa for instance — and then claims asylum, they would still go through the normal U.K. refugee process and, if successful, gain the right to remain in Britain and potentially permission for close relatives, like children or a spouse, to join them. But if someone arrives in the U.K. using an "informal" route — a small boat from France, or sneaking in on a semi-truck being the most common methods — the government would first try to deport the individual back home or to a "safe third country." If authorities were unable to do either of those things, the asylum-seeker would be granted a temporary protection status that would be subject to frequent review, and they could face criminal charges. They would also not be able to apply to bring immediate family to join them.