Border Force staff who follow Priti Patel’s plans to “push back” migrant boats in the Channel could be handed immunity from conviction if a refugee dies, reports suggest.
The home secretary wants to introduce a clause in the nationality and borders bill that would give officials legal protection if someone drowns, The Guardian reported.
But it is unclear whether the prison would actually shield officers from conviction under international maritime laws, setting up a clash with the courts.
Patel is under pressure from the Conservative party to cut the numbers of migrants entering the UK via small boats. More than 17,000 migrants have done so this year – over double the number of crossings in 2020.
As the story broke #PolPotPatel began to trend…
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Related: Border Force guards to be given immunity over refugee drownings