The UK's Home Office is "not yet fit for purpose" and has struggled to cope with the numerous crises it has faced in recent years, according to Shabana Mahmood, the new home secretary. Ms Mahmood acknowledged that the department had a range of problems, including procuring contracts and holding onto senior staff, but expressed her determination to deliver positive change.
The Home Office has been under fire over its handling of issues such as illegal working, asylum seeker accommodation, and small boat crossings. Ms Mahmood said that the enforcement of work rules had been lacking in the past, leading to an increase in migrants working illegally. However, she also stated that progress was being made in this area, with 8,232 people arrested for illegal working over the past year - a rise of 63% compared to the same period last year.
The department has faced intense pressure over its asylum seeker accommodation policies, with billions of pounds spent on hotels hosting migrants. Ms Mahmood confirmed plans to move some migrants to military barracks by the end of the year, in an effort to reduce the burden on local communities and taxpayer funds.
Ms Mahmood also admitted that the Home Office had struggled to rise to the scale of crisis issues it has faced over time, citing the department's handling of crises as a major concern. However, she expressed her commitment to addressing these challenges head-on, working closely with civil servants and other stakeholders to drive positive change.
As the Conservative Party faces mounting pressure on its record on migration, Ms Mahmood's comments are likely to fuel further debate about the government's approach to this complex issue.
The Home Office has been under fire over its handling of issues such as illegal working, asylum seeker accommodation, and small boat crossings. Ms Mahmood said that the enforcement of work rules had been lacking in the past, leading to an increase in migrants working illegally. However, she also stated that progress was being made in this area, with 8,232 people arrested for illegal working over the past year - a rise of 63% compared to the same period last year.
The department has faced intense pressure over its asylum seeker accommodation policies, with billions of pounds spent on hotels hosting migrants. Ms Mahmood confirmed plans to move some migrants to military barracks by the end of the year, in an effort to reduce the burden on local communities and taxpayer funds.
Ms Mahmood also admitted that the Home Office had struggled to rise to the scale of crisis issues it has faced over time, citing the department's handling of crises as a major concern. However, she expressed her commitment to addressing these challenges head-on, working closely with civil servants and other stakeholders to drive positive change.
As the Conservative Party faces mounting pressure on its record on migration, Ms Mahmood's comments are likely to fuel further debate about the government's approach to this complex issue.
, the Home Office is a disaster right now... I mean back in my day we didn't have all these problems with migrants and asylum seekers, we just had people lookin' for a better life, you know? And now they're gettin' slammed left and right. Illegal workin's on the rise, asylum seeker accommodation policies are all over the place... it's like they don't even know what they're doin' anymore 
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. And now they wanna move migrants to military barracks? What's next, puttin' 'em up in bunk beds and callin' it a day? 
. I mean, yeah, they've had some major problems with contracts and staff retention... that's a pretty big deal 
. And let's be real, their handling of immigration issues has been kinda all over the place 
. But at the same time, she does seem to be making some progress on cracking down on illegal working... that's gotta be a good thing 
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. It feels like they're getting pretty hammered for it, but at the same time, they might just spin this as proof that they're taking action 
. What do you guys think? Should they be more transparent about their policies, or are we just reading too much into things?
and those asylum seekers in hotels are a huge burden on taxpayer funds 
but i do feel bad for shabana mahmood, she's trying her best to make changes and address the issues 
gotta give it to her for owning up to the problems and committing to fix them 
military barracks are not a solution either, that's just another form of warehousing people. shabana mahmood sounds nice, but the department needs a complete overhaul from top to bottom 
. However, 63% more arrests for illegal working over the past year doesn't necessarily mean things are getting better... that just means they're finding new ways to catch people in the act