A perplexing controversy has emerged at the Home Office following a Freedom of Information (FOI) request made at the start of the year. The request sought the number of people currently in the UK without any legal right to remain, prompting officials to question the very terminology used.
Staff at the Home Office have maintained that the term “illegal immigrants” is no longer in use under Labour. Yet, despite this claim, multiple FOI requests have met with confusion. Several requests resulted in the department itself asking what “illegal immigrant” means while attempting to connect the issue to asylum seekers. These individuals, it is argued, have entered a legal process for refugee status due to their inability to return home safely, reported the Mirror.
In an earlier exchange, the definition of illegal immigration – and the clarification that those in question are not asylum seekers – was sent to the Home Office. However, three weeks later, the department once again sought an explanation of the term. In another FOI response, the Home Office also requested clarification on the term “resources.”
This request was made in relation to information about the resources allocated to locating illegal immigrants still in the country, specifically asking for details on the number of teams and personnel by region currently responsible for this task.
After The Mirror contacted the department, a Home Office spokesman confirmed that the terms “illegal migrants” and “illegal immigrants” are no longer used or recognized by the department. The spokesperson explained that this change was implemented shortly after Labour came to power in the last election. Yet, the confusion did not end there. The new government has faced criticism since July of last year when the Home Office referred to the issue as “irregular migration” on X – formerly known as Twitter.
When pressed for further clarification, the Home Office spokesman refused to reveal what the accepted term now is, suggesting that journalists should “find out for themselves.” Officials maintained that this stance was not intended to obstruct the FOI process. Nevertheless, the ambiguity has significantly delayed the release of information initially requested on January 1.
The Information Commissioner’s Office has weighed in on the matter. A spokesperson stressed, “People have the legal right to promptly receive information they’re entitled to and we take action when they don’t. We’ve been clear that public sector leaders should take transparency seriously and see the benefits it brings, including scrutiny of processes and approaches that can then benefit from improvement.”
Adding to the confusion, a statement released last month on the Government’s own website still used the term illegal migrants in its title. Subsequently, a response issued by the Home Office’s FOI team referred to the individuals in question as “irregular migrants,” despite the request not containing any such definition. As the department struggles with its terminology, critics argue that clear and consistent language is essential for public accountability and effective governance.
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