The UK government is facing fierce criticism over new powers that will allow Border Force officers to seize mobile phones from asylum seekers arriving by small boat, with the policy set to begin at the Manston Immigration Processing Centre in Kent from Monday.
Invasive Searches and Data Extraction
Officials will be permitted to search for electronic devices, including inside a person's mouth for hidden sim cards or small devices. Technology on site will be used to download data from seized phones. The measures, introduced under the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act, are intended to gather intelligence on journeys and help arrest people-smugglers.
Borders Minister Alex Norris stated: "We are implementing robust new laws with powerful offences to intercept, disrupt and dismantle these vile gangs faster than ever before and cut off their supply chains."
Legal and Humanitarian Concerns Raised
Campaigners and legal experts have strongly condemned the plans. Natasha Tsangarides, an associate director at the NGO Freedom from Torture, described the searches as "profoundly inhumane."
"Subjecting desperate and traumatised men, women and children to invasive searches – including examinations of their clothing and even inside their mouths – immediately after they have survived a terrifying Channel crossing is profoundly inhumane," she said.
Solicitor Jonah Mendelsohn from Wilson Solicitors questioned whether the plans comply with a 2022 High Court ruling on mobile phone seizures. He highlighted the lack of independent oversight, stating: "To comply with the legal standards identified by the high court, the use of intrusive searches and data extraction requires independent authorisation and oversight."
Unclear Rules for Children and Broader Context
While the government has confirmed officers can ask arrivals to remove outer clothing, it has not explicitly confirmed whether children will be subjected to the same searches. However, Home Office sources have previously indicated that searches of children could occur if deemed "clearly necessary and proportionate."
The policy rollout comes as the government faces political pressure on immigration. A total of 41,472 migrants crossed the Channel in 2025, the second-highest annual figure on record. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has also pledged to begin closing asylum hotels in the coming months.
The controversy underscores the ongoing tension between the government's stated aims of disrupting smuggling networks and the legal and ethical obligations owed to vulnerable individuals seeking asylum in the UK.
