Britain’s migration system is cracking at every seam. A leaked Home Office document, reported by The Telegraph, reveals more than 53,000 illegal migrants have vanished.
New Home Office figures show that thousands more are being placed in hotels again, taking the total to 36,273 at the end of September, and the latest ONS figures show net migration is falling only because of rule changes from the last government — not because the system is under control.
🚨 53,000 Migrants Have Gone Missing
A leaked Home Office document shows more than 53,000 illegal migrants have absconded — people who breached immigration bail or escaped detention and have simply disappeared.
A further 736 foreign offenders released from prison or detention are also missing, most of them facing deportation.
Many melt into the black economy, where right-to-work and right-to-rent checks are easy to evade. And even when enforcement catches up with them, some file fresh claims to stay, delaying removal for months or years.
On air with Julia Hartley-Brewer, I highlighted what Whitehall won’t admit:
If someone is prepared to travel illegally to Britain, disappearing when a deportation decision looms is the most logical thing they can do.
And the idea that digital ID would prevent this is a fantasy. As I’ve shown previously, countries with digital ID still have illegal working and illegal immigration.
The Home Office’s core duty is to protect the border and the public. These numbers show it is failing on both fronts.
🏨 More Asylum Seekers Are Now in Hotels
Separate figures show the backlog is worsening elsewhere. At the end of September, 36,273 asylum seekers were housed in hotels — a 13.2% increase on the numbers at the end of June.
This is despite repeated political promises to “end hotel use”. Hotels were meant to be an emergency measure. Instead, they have become long-term accommodation because:
the asylum system cannot process claims quickly enough
removals remain extremely low
It would be naïve to assume hotel absconding isn’t happening as well. The Home Office cannot track people reliably once they enter the system.
📉 Net Migration Has Fallen — But Still Double 1980s & 1990s Levels
The latest ONS release shows net migration has fallen to 204,000 — the lowest in four years. But the drop is not the result of Labour policy.
It is mainly due to rule changes introduced under Rishi Sunak, which are only now filtering into the statistics. A key driver of the fall is a reduction in people entering on work visas and study visas, alongside sharp drops in dependents.
Even with the decline, net migration remains more than double what the UK considered normal through the 1980s and 1990s, while record numbers of Brits and EU nationals continue to leave.
The latest figures show:
109,000 more Brits left than arrived
70,000 more EU nationals left than came in
These are typically higher-skilled, higher-paid groups — a long-running brain-drain that weakens the tax base and long-term growth.
At the same time, non-EU migration remains the only driver of net immigration:
Non-EU net migration is still +383,000
India, China and Pakistan remain the top inflow countries
Asylum-related long-term immigration has risen from 81,000 → 96,000
So while net migration is lower on paper, the overall composition hasn’t changed — and the pressures on housing, services and enforcement remain exactly where they were.
When tens of thousands can abscond, hotels are filling up again, and non-EU migration still drives the totals, it’s clear: the pressures are shifting, but nothing is truly being fixed.
⚠️ Final Word
Net migration may be falling — but the border system is nowhere near under control.
Tens of thousands have absconded. More asylum seekers are in hotels. Removals remain low. And the only part of the system showing improvement is due to the last government's policies.
Until Britain can track, process, and remove people at scale, no amount of digital ID, new enforcement slogans or policy rebrands will fix the underlying crisis.
✍️ Jamie Jenkins
Stats Jamie | Stats, Facts & Opinions
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