In a recent disclosure, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced that under Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s “one in, one out” agreement with France, more migrants have entered the UK illegally than have been sent back. Since the program’s launch in mid-September, 281 Channel migrants have been deported to France, while 350 have been permitted to arrive through irregular means.
The deal allows the UK to return illegal Channel crossers to France in exchange for accepting an equivalent number of asylum seekers via legal channels. However, over the same period, more than 10,000 individuals have crossed the Channel in small boats.
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Mahmood acknowledged initial hurdles, including a lack of awareness among potential legal migrants, which made it difficult to fill the incoming slots. She told LBC radio that the UK had to compete with criminal networks for visibility, but adjustments have been made, leading to an increase in removals. She emphasized that the scheme started small to ensure proper infrastructure and has been refined through collaboration with French authorities.
French officials view the arrangement as a pilot, projecting only about 50 returns per week, with a review planned after one year. Notably, at least two deported migrants have attempted to recross and were sent back again.
Last year saw 41,472 Channel arrivals, a 12.6% rise from 2024’s 36,816, though below the 2022 record of 45,755.
This comes amid setbacks, as France’s human rights ombudsman, Claire Hédon, criticized police tactics like rubber bullets and tear gas for endangering lives. Despite this, French forces recently intercepted a smuggling boat on a canal for the first time, following UK urging.
Mahmood also justified relocating migrants to a Sussex army camp at night to avoid public order issues, arguing that military sites provide basic housing and deter smugglers who advertise UK hotel accommodations as a lure. She aims to phase out hotel use for asylum seekers by 2029 and is coordinating with local authorities and police to manage safety concerns.
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp slammed the net gain of 70 migrants as a “failure,” urging withdrawal from the European Convention on Human Rights for faster deportations, accusing Mahmood of lacking control over crossings
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