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  "path": "/news/migrant-crisis-african-countries-take-back-illegal-visa-threat",
  "publishedAt": "2026-02-06T07:33:07.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.gbnews.com",
  "tags": [
    "The GB News Editorial Charter"
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  "textContent": "\n\n\nThree African countries are set to take back illegal migrants after the UK threatened them with visa restrictions.\n\nThe Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has become the third African country to agree to take back its citizens following threats from Shabana Mahmood at the end of last year over a lack of cooperation on returning foreign offenders and those without right to be in Britain.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThe Home Secretary had halted preferential treatment for Congolese diplomats and VIPs and ended fast-track visa processing for the country’s citizens.\n\nTwo other African countries, Namibia and Angola, changed their position and agreed to accept deportees from the UK after being threatened with similar measures in December.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nTRENDING\n\nStories\n\nVideos\n\nYour Say\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nMs Mahmood said: “My message is clear, if foreign governments refuse to accept the return of their citizens, then they will face consequences.”\n\nAngola and Namibia both said they would take back their citizens a month after Ms Mahmood identified them as possible targets for penalties.\n\nAt the time, the Home Office accused all three countries of frustrating attempts to deport their citizens, refusing to process paperwork or giving people an effective veto over their own removal by requiring them to sign their own documents.\n\nThe three countries make up only a handful of people detected entering the UK through irregular routes, but the Home Office said the deal would allow up to 3,000 people to be removed from the country.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nMs Mahmood’s threats to impose visa penalties form part of her drive to speed up removals of people with no right to be in the UK, as she seeks to demonstrate progress on cutting irregular migration.\n\nEarlier, the Home Office said more than 15,000 people had been removed from the UK since the 2024 election, a 45 per cent increase on the previous 19 months, while another 43,000 had left voluntarily after being told they were in the country illegally.\n\nMs Mahmood vowed to “scale up” removals even further as the Government faces ongoing pressure on immigration and small boat crossings continue in the Channel.\n\nSome 65,000 people have entered the country via small boats since the 2024 election, including 989 so far this year.\n\n**MORE TO FOLLOW...**\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n**Our Standards:The GB News Editorial Charter **",
  "title": "Three African countries set to take back thousands of illegal migrants after Britain's sanctions threat"
}