U have stayed 2 long

UK to send cellphone messages to illegal immigrants


As part of a strategy encourage illegal immigrants to leave Britain, the government will begin sending out text messages to warn them they are overstaying their welcome.

Home Secretary John Reid launched the new enforcement strategy designed stop people overstaying their visas.

Besides the text message campaign, the measures include a "watch list" of illegal immigrants to alert government agencies if someone applies for services to which they are not entitled and workplace enforcement teams to track down employers with illegal immigrants on staff.

Critics have said the "get tough" policy is unrealistic and inhumane because it could leave up to half a million people destitute, which in turn could force many into crime.

The Joint Council for Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI) wants to see those who have been in the country for more than two years to be allowed to work legally. The JCWI argued this would provide more than $6.8 billion Can in tax revenue.

Shadow home secretary David Davis said the proposed measures are an "admission of defeat" and that Reid has given up trying to deport the hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants.

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