Rights groups warn UK Home Office AI tool risks 'rubberstamped' migrant deportations

By Aysu Bicer

LONDON (AA) - In response to rising immigration cases, the UK Home Office has a new artificial intelligence tool to speed up migrant enforcement, but it has sparked strong criticism.

According to British daily The Guardian, migrant rights and privacy groups warn that this technology could lead to “rubberstamped” decisions, potentially affecting both adults and children facing deportation.

The tool, called Identify and Prioritise Immigration Cases (IPIC), uses various types of personal data – including biometric information, ethnicity, health markers, and past criminal records – to decide which cases need enforcement.

Created to help the Home Office’s immigration enforcement team work faster, the tool helps officials identify, prioritize, and coordinate actions for around 41,000 individuals facing deportation.

The nonprofit Privacy International, after obtaining redacted manuals and assessments through a year-long freedom of information request, expressed concern that the AI system could create a “robo-caseworker” effect, making automated decisions that greatly affect people’s lives.

"This is technology being used to make cruelty and harm more efficient," said a spokesperson for the group.

The group worries that relying on the algorithm could make officials too willing to approve AI recommendations, making it harder for people to contest deportations or correct mistakes that might affect families and individuals.

Privacy International also highlighted that migrants whose cases are managed by the system aren’t told that AI is part of the decision-making process.

This lack of transparency, campaigners argue, reduces accountability and makes it hard for individuals to understand or challenge the role automation plays in deciding their immigration cases.

- Human oversight

The Home Office, however, says that every decision still involves human oversight.

Officials defend IPIC as an essential tool to handle rising immigration demands, allowing them to prioritize high-risk cases and improve efficiency while keeping human review in place.

AI supporters in government, including Secretary of State for Science Peter Kyle, argue that the technology “has incredible potential to improve our public services.”

However, Kyle stressed that public trust is crucial to fully benefit from AI in areas like health, welfare, and now immigration.

The IPIC system reflects a broader move to integrate AI into UK public services, as government departments look for efficiencies in various areas.

Despite this, privacy and migrant rights groups continue to push for more transparency and insist that life-changing decisions should not be made without human involvement and careful oversight.