𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Migrants who “lie and cheat” their way into Britain shouldn’t be given handouts to help them fight to stay, Zia Yusuf has declared. Reform UK’s home affairs spokesman warned asylum seekers are being “rewarded” when they receive thousands in legal aid.

Mr Yusuf told the Daily Express the “British people should never be expected to foot the bill for those who make a mockery of our laws”. And Nigel Farage’s party has said immigration lawyers and legal advisers who help migrants to cheat the system should be prosecuted and face prison sentences of up to two years.

It comes as fresh revelations detailed how migrants are falsely claiming to be victims of domestic abuse to stay in the UK.

Mr Yusuf said: “Asylum seekers who cheat and lie to get to Britain have already proven they are utterly unsuitable to reside here, and the same people are rewarded for their dishonesty with hard-earned taxpayer money.

“More than £135 million worth of public funds has been spent since 2018 on this farce, yet the country is being told to cut back on its spending.

“Reform will end all legal aid for those who enter the country illegally or overstay on their visa – because the British people should never be expected to foot the bill for those who make a mockery of our laws.”

A record 39,095 people sought sanctuary after arriving on a study, work or visitor visa last year.

Of this group of claimants, 12,578 held a study visa, 13,557 arrived on a work visa, 7,521 used a visitor visa and 5,439 held other forms of leave.

But officials are increasingly concerned about how some of the cohort who arrive on visas are exploiting loopholes to remain in Britain when their visas expire.

Some migrants, both male and female, are duping British partners into relationships and marriage and then making fake domestic abuse claims after moving to the UK.

Others are being encouraged to fabricate abuse allegations by legal advisers who advertise online.

The number of people claiming fast-track residency on the basis of domestic abuse has now reached more than 5,500 a year – a number which has risen by more than 50% in just three years.

And legal advisers are charging thousands to coach foreign nationals whose student and work visas are expiring on how to seek sanctuary to stay indefinitely and claim benefits.

They are encouraging people to say they are gay because there are no checks, adding that it is “the very method everyone is adopting”, a BBC investigation has claimed.

Some even offered to arrange for people to pretend they had same-sex relationships with clients, with others compiling dossiers of staged photographs and fake support letters.

Mr Yusuf added: “We already know exploitative asylum seekers will say whatever it takes to enter the country illegally. But a new BBC investigation has laid bare just how ridiculous Britain’s asylum system has become.

“Unscrupulous lawyers are helping men to pose as gay to game Home Office rules by pretending to be an oppressed minority under the protection of the 1951 Refugee Act.

“And immigration advisors are sickeningly profiting by telling migrants to falsely claim being victims of domestic abuse.

“It is time to end this madness for good.

“Under a Reform Government, anyone found to profiteering from the border crisis will face prosecution.

“Law firms that make thousands of pounds setting up asylum seekers in fraudulent same sex partnerships – with one lawyer even promising to help present a Pakistani client’s wife as a “lesbian” – will face serious sanctions under a “strict liability” framework.

“Defrauding the British people will not be tolerated: facilitating a fake asylum claim will become a criminal offence with no requirement to prove intent during prosecution, and will carry a sentence of up to two years.”

Downing Street branded the reported actions as “shameful”.

Asked about the reports, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “Both the Home Office and Immigration Advice Authority are investigating the claims made by the BBC, both yesterday and today, to ensure anyone potentially abusing our immigration system is held accountable.

“Any attempt to misuse protections designed to protect genuine victims from the devastation of domestic abuse is shameful and completely unacceptable.

“The Home Secretary has been clear that those trying to defraud the British people to remain in the UK will have their application refused and find themselves on a one-way flight out of Britain.

“Where unethical and illegal practices are identified and evidence exists, legal practitioners will be referred to the police through the relevant regulatory body.”

Asked whether the Prime Minister was confident claims were being scrutinised closely enough, the spokesman said: “The asylum system is built on robust safeguards, so every claim is rigorously and fairly assessed, abuse is actively uncovered, and these procedures are continually reviewed to shut down misuse.”