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| 4,000 foreign prisoners deported | 4,000 foreign prisoners deported |
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| The government has deported more than 4,000 foreign prisoners this year, exceeding the target set by the prime minister, the Home Office said. | The government has deported more than 4,000 foreign prisoners this year, exceeding the target set by the prime minister, the Home Office said. |
| The figure meant that 50% more foreign prisoners had been deported than in the year before, officials said. | The figure meant that 50% more foreign prisoners had been deported than in the year before, officials said. |
| Those sent out of the country include 20 convicted of killings and more than 200 convicted of sexual offences. | Those sent out of the country include 20 convicted of killings and more than 200 convicted of sexual offences. |
| "Foreign law breakers should be first in line for the first plane out of Britain," said the home secretary. | |
| We promised to remove 4,000 foreign national prisoners this year and we meant it Home Secretary Jacqui Smith | We promised to remove 4,000 foreign national prisoners this year and we meant it Home Secretary Jacqui Smith |
| Prime Minister Gordon Brown set the deportation target in July in order to accelerate the removal process and release some of the pressure on the country's overcrowded prisons. | Prime Minister Gordon Brown set the deportation target in July in order to accelerate the removal process and release some of the pressure on the country's overcrowded prisons. |
| Prisoners with foreign citizenship can continue to be held in detention centres after they have completed their prison terms but have yet to be deported. | Prisoners with foreign citizenship can continue to be held in detention centres after they have completed their prison terms but have yet to be deported. |
| On Friday the prime minister came under fire after a memo was leaked that said officials have "no interest" in deporting foreign criminals jailed for less than a year. | On Friday the prime minister came under fire after a memo was leaked that said officials have "no interest" in deporting foreign criminals jailed for less than a year. |
| The UK's head of immigration Lin Homer responded by saying staff were committed to sending home all overseas offenders, whether they are dangerous or not. | The UK's head of immigration Lin Homer responded by saying staff were committed to sending home all overseas offenders, whether they are dangerous or not. |
| Those deported this year also include 1,100 drug offenders. | Those deported this year also include 1,100 drug offenders. |
| Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said: "We promised to remove 4,000 foreign national prisoners this year and we meant it." | Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said: "We promised to remove 4,000 foreign national prisoners this year and we meant it." |