UK to Seize Migrants’ Phones Under New Law

The United Kingdom government will begin using new legal powers to seize mobile phones from migrants arriving by small boats.

The government said the measures enable them to access information on phones, such as contacts and maps, to help disrupt people-smuggling networks and prosecute the ringleaders organising dangerous crossings from northern France to the UK.

The Home Office said the seizures will start on Monday at the Manston migrant processing centre in Kent, where technology has been installed to extract data from confiscated devices.

Under the new rules, police and immigration officers will be able to carry out searches without making arrests. Officers may require migrants to remove outer clothing to look for mobile phones and check their mouths for concealed SIM cards.

The powers are provided under the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act, which was approved by parliament last year. More than 41,000 people crossed the English Channel in small boats in 2025, the second-highest total since records began in 2018.

The government said information obtained from seized devices could be used to gather intelligence on criminal gangs organising the crossings and support prosecutions.

Border Security Minister Alex Norris said the measures were part of efforts to strengthen border controls.

“We promised to restore order and control to our borders, which means taking on the people smuggling networks behind this deadly trade,” Norris said.

“That is exactly why 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.”

The legislation also introduces new offences related to people smuggling, including storing or supplying boat engines for illegal crossings, punishable by up to 14 years in prison.

In November 2025, UK Interior Minister Shabana Mahmood proposed several measures to discourage immigration, such as temporary refugee status and a 30-month review.

Migrants will also need to wait longer than the current five years before they can apply for permanent residency. Depending on their circumstances, it could take from 10 to 30 years.

According to Mahmood, the proposals, modelled on Denmark’s strict asylum system, are “the most significant changes to our asylum system in modern times.”