We are closely monitoring developments in the USA in terms of prison and immigration policy and practice that might impact on British citizens.

Between 2017 and 2021 we saw a significant increase in the number of British people who were deported from the USA after spending many years living in the country. Resettlement cases from the USA peaked for us at an all-time high in 2018-2019, with 70 people deported. Conversely, in 2022-2023, this figure was the lowest ever at 12, and last year we saw just 20 people deported from the States.

Recent cases suggest a return to 2017-2021 policy, which is concerning for a number of factors. The average sentence length for those we are supporting in the USA is 26 years, with 78% of people currently over the age of 45. This means that typically British people facing deportation from the USA are likely to be older and almost entirely unfamiliar with the UK. It is common for their support systems – relatives, friends and jobs – to remain in the USA, where they may have lived for several decades, making assimilation incredibly challenging on arrival.

The success of our support to resettle people in the UK relies on good information sharing and planning with the US authorities and UK consular officials. In recent weeks, we have seen several individuals deported at short notice and arriving in the UK late at night, when support services are less readily available to them and the threat of homelessness on arrival is very real.

Last year, visa overstays were the third most common offence worldwide for those we supported after deportation to the UK. Immigration laws can catch people out and, if imprisoned, the US system can be fraught with complications and bureaucracy, with different rules for State and Federal prisons for transferring money, sending parcels, and maintaining contact with relatives and friends on the outside.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) provides travel advice for the USA with specific information on visas and entry requirements here. Their Travel Aware campaign aims to stop travellers being caught out by lesser-known laws and customs; you can find more information on that here.

If you need to contact us about the detention or imprisonment of a relative or friend, or about your own situation, please get in touch here.

Notes

FCDO travel advice for the USA

US State Department information on visas

FCDO Travel Aware campaign

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