On Wednesday, the British government announced a set of new measures aimed at addressing the rising number of asylum seekers arriving illegally on small boats from France.
As part of the initiative, 100 “specialist intelligence and investigation officers” will be recruited to the National Crime Agency (NCA) to focus on dismantling the smuggling gangs responsible for these dangerous crossings.
Additionally, the interior ministry stated that the government plans to achieve the highest rate of deportations of failed asylum seekers in five years within the next six months.
The Labour government, which recently won an election, is also planning to expand detention capacity at removal centres and impose sanctions on employers who hire individuals without the legal right to work in the UK, according to the Home Office.
Interior Minister Yvette Cooper emphasized the government’s commitment to enhancing border security and enforcing immigration rules, saying, “We are taking strong and clear steps to boost our border security and ensure the rules are respected and enforced.”
Addressing the small boat arrivals was a key issue in the July 4 election, where Labour secured a significant majority. In response to the issue, Prime Minister Keir Starmer quickly cancelled a controversial policy to deport illegal migrants to Rwanda, a hallmark of the previous Conservative government.
Instead, Starmer has committed to dismantling the people-smuggling networks that facilitate these crossings, which charge migrants thousands of euros per person.
The Home Office is also recruiting a Border Security Commander, who will collaborate with European countries to combat these smuggling gangs.
Moreover, Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron have pledged to strengthen their cooperation in managing the rise in undocumented migrants.
On Monday alone, over 200 people crossed the Channel in three boats, bringing the total number of crossings this year to 19,294, according to Home Office statistics. This marks a 10% increase compared to last year’s figure of 17,620 but is lower than the 21,344 crossings recorded during the same period in 2022.
The NCA is currently conducting approximately 70 investigations into criminal networks involved in people trafficking.
The government has announced plans to issue financial penalties, business closure orders, and potential prosecutions against employers of illegal workers.
The Home Office also revealed that it is adding 290 beds to two removal centres and reallocating staff to facilitate the removal of failed asylum seekers at the highest rate since 2018, though specific figures were not provided.
