Detainees’ cash offer: Albanians offered cash to leave UK in immigration battle

DEPORTATION flights from the UK to Albania have surged following a joint co-operation agreement in December 2022 to fight illegal immigration, but a UK immigration investigation has shed light on some of the shocking practices involved. 

Many of the Albanian citizens forcibly sent back this year were convicted of crimes in the UK, but, according to an immigration investigation published by British media outlet, the BBC, some Albanian prisoners were offered £1,500 and early release from prison in exchange for agreeing to deportation.

The UK Home Office says that more than 1,000 people have been sent back as part of its new immigration policy, with around half of them leaving voluntarily. The rest consisted of asylum seekers whose applications were rejected and foreign offenders.

The UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has made his intentions on illegal immigration clear, including creating a new policy of deportation with no possibility of returning.

While the UK government aims to deter illegal migration, the allure of economic opportunities in the UK remains strong. Despite intensified police efforts to crack down on Albanians, some deportees also expressed their intentions to return to the UK.

The future remains uncertain for Albania, with dreams of British tourists visiting its landscapes, while its young population continues to yearn for the opportunities they believe await them across the channel.