150 people born abroad have been arrested over the looting and arson attacks which brought misery to English cities.
Damian Green, the immigration minister, said: "We strongly believe that foreign national lawbreakers should be removed from the UK at the earliest opportunity.
"We also have the power to cancel visas of foreign nationals found guilty of criminal activity, and this is something we will be looking to do when these cases arise.
"Last week saw unprecedented criminality on our streets and the courts are now dispensing firm justice to ensure those responsible are punished," he told the London Evening Standard.
Among those accused of taking part in the disorder is a failed asylum seeker alleged to have looted clothes and money from a branch of BHS in Walthamstow, northeast London.
Abderazak Boussag, 23, who lives in Leyton, northeast London was arrested in a raid on his home after police found the fingerprint of his teenage co-defendant at the store.
The move could widen fissures in the coalition over tough sentences for looters.
David Ward, a Liberal Democrat backbencher, said: "This almost seems to be a competition to see who can come out with the most macho response. To have a blanket policy for all is just nonsense."
Under immigration laws, criminals from outside the EU are automatically nominated for deportation if they are sentenced to 12 months in prison.
European citizens are put forward to deportation if given a 12-month sentence for drugs, violent or sex crimes, or 24 months for other offences. But the courts can recommend deportation in other circumstances and the UK Border Agency can revoke the visa of anyone found guilty of criminal activity.
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