The Daily Mail is reporting that the UK Border Agency is setting up a new computer database to track down 150,000 people who are believed to be staying in Britain illegally.
The move comes after the chief inspector of immigration, John Vine, criticised UKBA for not having a strategy to reduce a 'migration refusal pool' of over 150,000 cases.
The Mail says that the project to set up the new computer database is to begin in September, but no further timescale for the project was given. Apparently, letters will be sent to those in the 'migration refusal pool' warning that they face deportation and a bar from entering the UK if they do not leave within 28 days.
According to the Mail, immigration minister Damian Green said he hoped the new scheme would allow UKBA staff more time to carry out enforcement operations and reduce a backlog of 276,000 cases.
"We're concentrating much more on enforcement. From debrief interviews we've found that a third of people decide to overstay at the point their visa expires. If we can send these people letters warning of the consequences of illegally overstaying then I'm sure we can reduce the total number deciding to remain," Green told the Daily Mail.
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