British airports could help to impose Donald Trump’s controversial Muslim ban in pre-clearance plans

AIRPORTS in the UK could help enforce Donald Trump's controversial travel ban in future, it emerged today.

The Government is in ongoing discussions with US officials about potential pre-clearance arrangements - which could see travellers turned back at the airport if they fall under the ban.

London Heathrow, Manchester and Edinburgh could be some of the airports affected,

In future they could introduce measures to check passengers ahead of travelling from the UK to the US, and which could prevent them from boarding planes.

The vetting - which involves passport scans, fingerprints and checks of customs forms - means that travellers don't have to be checked again once they get to America.

President Trump has put in place a temporary travel ban for people coming to the US from seven mainly Muslim countries - Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.

On Tuesday, the Dutch Government said it had ended pre-clearance talks with the US, in response to Mr Trump's ban.

US authorities have been in talks with several other countries, including the UK, about establishing the checks.

Theresa May said earlier this week she didn't know about the ban before it was announced last weekend - but that the UK government has no plans to impose any similar ban.

Politicians in Ireland - which is the only European Country with pre-clearance facilities, said earlier this week that they would have a "complete review" of their policies in the wake of the ban.

Irish Taoiseach Enda Kenndy said he disagreed with the ban, but was in favour of keeping the checks.

Pre-clearance customs checks are already in place in Dublin and Shannon airports. Last year border officials process around 1.18 million people in Dublin in this way.

The ongoing talks could be uncomfortable for Home Secretary Amber Rudd, who said earlier this week that President Trump's ban could be exploited by ISIS.

She told MPs that the group could be used as a "propaganda opportunity".

Earlier today France's Maine Le Pen said she would consider imposing a similar travel ban if she were to be elected President later this year.

And Ukip's Nigel Farage said he couldn't see why it was controversial to want to protect our countries from terrorists. 

A Home Office Spokesperson told the Sun Online: "Discussions are ongoing with the US on potential pre-clearance arrangements.
"There has been no change to UK immigration rules."