The first illegal immigrant has been caught at one of the
government's new
national identity card centres for foreigners.
The man was caught out by fingerprint technology on the first
day that an identity card centre for foreign nationals opened in
Solihull.
Ranjit Singh, a 33-year-old Indian male, from Caddington in
Luton, had applied to the UK Border Agency to stay in the country
on the basis of a common law relationship with a British
citizen.
He was required to attend the new centre in Solihull, West
Midlands on 8 December.
Singh was electronically fingerprinted at the centre and this
showed a possible match with a failed asylum seeker also called
Ranjit Singh, aged 23.
The UK Border Agency's fingerprint specialists confirmed that
the two "Mr Singhs" were one and the same person despite the
different dates of birth.
Singh was then arrested by immigration officers and taken to
Solihull Police Station for questioning. He admitted that he had
previously made a bogus asylum application with a false date of
birth.
He was charged with the offence of seeking leave to remain in
the UK by deception, and appeared before Solihull Magistrates on 9
December where he pleaded guilty.
Singh was remanded in custody until 8 January 2009 when he will
be sentenced at Warwick Crown Court.
Home secretary Jacqui Smith said, "Identity cards ensure that
foreign nationals living, working and studying here legally are
able to prove their identity easily - but they also make it much
harder for people to use false or multiple identities.
"This case shows that the scheme is already working, and that
with tough enforcement by UK Border Agency officials, those who
don't play by the rules will be caught out."
Gail Adams, UK Border Agency regional director, said, "This
instant result shows how effective identity cards will be in
preventing immigration abuse. Individuals will be locked down to
one identity through their facial image and fingerprints.
"Identity cards for foreign nationals will help us crack down on
illegal working as they will give employers a safe and secure way
of checking a migrant's right to work and study in the UK."
Foreign nationals from across the Midlands and east of England
began to apply for identity cards on 8 December at the Solihull
centre.
Identity cards will be mandatory for all foreign nationals and
provide a simple secure means of proving a foreign national's right
to work to businesses.
Companies will have to keep records of the migrants they have
hired, including their contact details and a copy of their identity
card.
Foreign nationals making applications to remain in the UK as a
student or based on marriage will have their facial images and
fingerprints recorded before being issued with identity cards.
All new foreign nationals and those extending their stay will
have a card within three years. It is estimated that by the end of
2014-15 about 90% of all foreign nationals will have been issued
with a card.
The Solihull centre is one of seven enrolment identity card
centres for foreign nationals, with others opening in Croydon,
Cardiff, Glasgow, Northern Ireland, Sheffield and Liverpool.
Video about the ID
card scheme >>