LONDON: The UK Home Office has unveiled a new advertising campaign aimed at discouraging Albanian migrants from undertaking perilous journeys to Britain via small boats. Utilizing platforms like Facebook and Instagram, the campaign represents the latest effort by British authorities to manage the influx of migrants crossing the English Channel.
Adverts warn Albanians of the potential consequences they may face, including detention and removal, if they attempt to reach the UK illegally.
This year alone, over 6,000 migrants have made the treacherous journey from mainland Europe to Britain using small vessels. While the Home Office did not disclose the campaign’s cost, it emphasized that it would emphasize the risks associated with such journeys.
The Home Office described Albania as a “safe and prosperous country” and highlighted that migrants often make baseless asylum claims upon arrival in the UK.
However, the advertising campaign, set to launch next week, has faced criticism from migrant advocacy groups and the main opposition Labour Party. Refugee Action CEO Tim Naor Hilton dismissed the campaign as “pointless” and argued that it perpetuates the misconception that refugee migration is illegal.
Hilton suggested that the government should instead focus on creating safe pathways for refugees to seek asylum, in order to tackle smuggling networks and prevent dangerous crossings.
UK Home Office’s Campaign to Deter Albanian Asylum Seekers
This initiative follows a similar campaign launched by the Home Office in August of last year, which also utilized social media platforms to deter Albanian asylum seekers. From January to March this year, Albanians comprised the highest number of asylum claimants in the UK, with 13,714 individuals from the Balkan country filing applications.
Critics, including Care4Calais CEO Steve Smith, believe that the new advertising campaign will not achieve its intended objectives. Smith argued that refugees, having endured unimaginable hardships such as war, conflict, torture, and human rights abuses, will not be deterred by taxpayer-funded PR efforts. He asserted that the only effective solution is to provide safe passage to refugees with legitimate asylum claims.
The campaign coincides with the government’s introduction of the proposed Illegal Migration Bill, which aims to deport asylum seekers who enter the UK illegally back to their countries of origin or to Rwanda. Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick emphasized the Home Office’s commitment to halting illegal crossings, stating that the campaign, launching in Albania this week, is part of the department’s comprehensive efforts to dispel misconceptions, address realities, and combat the lies propagated by exploitative people smugglers.
