Britain’s flagship attempt to curb small boat crossings has suffered a major setback after dozens of migrants deported to France under the “one-in, one-out” agreement reportedly made their way back into the UK.
Nearly 50 asylum seekers removed across the Channel are believed to have returned after being transferred to France under the scheme, highlighting the difficulties facing governments attempting to disrupt increasingly sophisticated smuggling networks.
Home Office figures show that 1,087 migrants — around 4 per cent of those who crossed illegally — were returned to France between August last year and the end of June. During the same period, 27,920 people arrived in Britain after making the dangerous Channel crossing in small boats.
The true number of returnees is unknown, with officials acknowledging that some migrants may have slipped back into the UK without detection.
The setback comes as Prime Minister Andy Burnham faces mounting pressure over the border crisis. Since entering Downing Street, more than 2,000 migrants have arrived via small boats during his first fortnight in office, despite his pledge to be “relentless” in tackling illegal migration.
Visiting Dover, Mr Burnham insisted progress was being made, pointing to a fall in crossings compared with the previous year. He said July had recorded the lowest number of arrivals for six years but warned the government could not become complacent.
“We’re not complacent,” he said. “We’re just going to be relentless.”
However, ministers have already been forced to revisit the agreement with France after concerns emerged that migrants returned under the scheme could exploit loopholes to re-enter Britain, including by hiding in lorries travelling across the Channel.
The arrangement has now been extended until October while both governments assess whether it should become a permanent system.
The renewed pressure comes amid wider concerns over migration routes across Europe. Authorities in Spain recently faced unrest after thousands of migrants entered Ceuta, with security forces deployed to restore order and prevent further crossings into mainland Europe.
Security analysts have warned that criminal networks are adapting quickly to enforcement measures, changing routes and tactics whenever governments tighten controls.
Lora Ries, director of the Border Security and Immigration Centre at the Heritage Foundation, said the scale of the migration challenge should be treated as a serious security issue.
For the government, the challenge is becoming increasingly stark: stopping crossings is one battle, but preventing those removed from simply finding another route back may prove even harder.
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