TUESDAY, MARCH 29, 1983
ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS NOW FACE JAIL TERMS
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ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM CHINA FOUND IN HONG KONG NOW FACE THE THREAT OF GOING TO PRISON BEFORE BEING REPATRIATED.
IN A GET-TOUGH MOVE, THE GOVERNMENT IS BEGINNING TO PROSECUTE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FOR BEING IN HONG KONG ILLEGALLY.
THIS IS A MAJOR CHANGE FROM THE PREVIOUS POLICY UNDER WHICH ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS, OTHER THAN THOSE WHO HAVE COMMITTED OTHER CRIMINAL OFFENCES SUCH AS POSSESSION OF FORGED IDENTITY CARDS OR OFFENSIVE WEAPONS, WERE MERELY ARRESTED AND REPATRIATED.
EXPLAINING THIS CHANGE TODAY, MR LAWRENCE LEUNG, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR (CONTROL AND INVESTIGATION) OF THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT, SAID THE MOVE WAS NECESSARY BECAUSE THE NUMBER OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS COMING TO HONG KONG, WHICH REGISTERED A DRASTIC FALL IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE SCRAPPING OF THE +TOUCH BASE+ POLICY IN 1980, WAS NOW AGAIN ON THE RISE.
IN 1981, THE TOTAL NUMBER OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ARRESTED AND REPATRIATED WAS 11 057. THIS WENT UP TO 13 479 IN 1982. UP TO MARCH 28 THIS YEAR, THE FIGURE WAS 2 673.
+SINCE FEBRUARY 2 THIS YEAR WHEN THE FIRST CASE WAS BROUGHT TO COURT, WE HAVE SO FAR PROSECUTED 12 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FOR BREAKING THE LAW BY REMAINING IN HONG KONG, HE SAID.
+SOME OF THEM HAVE BEEN ARRESTED BY THE POLICE AND OTHERS BY IMMIGRATION OFFICERS.+
THE OFFENCE CARRIES A MAXIMUM PENALTY OF A $5 000 FINE AND IMPRISONMENT FOR THREE YEARS.
*ALL THE 12 DEFENDANTS, INCLUDING A WOMAN, WERE JAILED AND THE MAJORITY OF THE SENTENCES WERE BETWEEN 12 AND 15 MONTHS, + HE SAID.
+AND ALL OF THEM WILL BE REPATRIATED AFTER SERVING THEIR JAIL TERMS, HE ADDED.
MR LEUNG POINTED OUT THAT EACH CASE HAS TO BE LOOKED AT INDIVIDUALLY BEFORE A DECISION TO PROSECUTE IS REACHED.
+BUT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS MUST UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS AN OFFENCE IN ITSELF TO COME TO HONG KONG ILLEGALLY, AND THAT THEY MAY BE JAILED FOR IT,+ HE STRESSED.
IN ONE RECENT CASE, A YOUNG ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT WAS JAILED FOR 16 MONTHS FOR THE OFFENCE - THE LONGEST JAIL SENTENCE METED OUT SO FAR.
/THE MAN