Story perspectives

1971 Immigration Act Bars Deportation, Ahmed Released to Supervised Housing

6/30/2026

Summary

Story summary

Shabir Ahmed, 73, will be released on Thursday, July 2.
The 1971 Immigration Act bars his deportation because he entered UK before 1973 and lived there five years.
He must live in supervised accommodation with 24-hour licence conditions in an exclusion zone in Rochdale.
MP Michael McMahon expressed disgust at the timing, noting a 2022 review found Ahmed had worked as an Oldham council welfare officer despite abuse allegations.

History

Historical Context

The Immigration Act 1971, championed by Prime Minister Edward Heath, overhauled British immigration law by creating the right of abode and restricting entry to citizens with a UK-born parent or grandparent. In 1972 the Heath government issued the first Immigration Rules under the Act, revised after parliamentary opposition and enacted in January 1973. Its residency criteria still shape today’s debates over deportation and supervised accommodation.

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Story summary

Shabir Ahmed, 73, will be released on Thursday, July 2.
The 1971 Immigration Act bars his deportation because he entered UK before 1973 and lived there five years.
He must live in supervised accommodation with 24-hour licence conditions in an exclusion zone in Rochdale.
MP Michael McMahon expressed disgust at the timing, noting a 2022 review found Ahmed had worked as an Oldham council welfare officer despite abuse allegations.

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