US EditionUK and France agree to send some migrants arriving in Britain by boat back to France
UNITED KINGDOM, JUL 10 – The UK-France deal aims to deter dangerous Channel crossings by returning migrants arriving illegally by small boats, while admitting an equal number of vetted asylum seekers, a pilot will start soon.
- On July 10, 2025, during a joint event in London, the UK Prime Minister and the President of France announced a new agreement to return migrants arriving in the UK via small boats back to France.
- The deal follows nearly 20,000 Channel crossings in the first half of 2025, an increase of almost 50% from 2024, and reflects recognition that stopping boats requires international cooperation.
- The agreement establishes a pilot scheme returning around 50 migrants weekly to France in exchange for the UK accepting a matching number of asylum seekers via a controlled safe route.
- Starmer stated that the policy will demonstrate that attempts to enter the UK via small boats will be unsuccessful and result in detention and repatriation, while also emphasizing support for genuine asylum seekers and implementing a robust crackdown on illegal employment across the country.
- Although hailed as a diplomatic milestone, critics question the pilot’s limited scale and its ability to deter crossings, noting success depends on reducing attempt numbers and breaking smuggling gangs’ business model.
238 Articles
238 Articles
'Historic migrant return deal shows Labour is replacing chaos with control'
Writing for The Mirror, Border Security and Asylum Minister Dame Angela Eagle says Labour is finally replacing chaos with control, after a groundbreaking returns deal was agreed with France
The announcement of the new Franco-British strategy on migration between the two nations does not convince local actors or humanitarian associations.
How many migrants are estimated to work illegally in UK - compared with Europe
France is pushing the UK to crack down on illegal work in a bid to reduce Channel crossings.The UK and France this week confirmed a returns agreement, in which those arriving on small boats would be sent back to France, in exchange for the UK making a safe route for asylum seekers there who have not attempted to cross the Channel.Small boat arrivals have reached their highest ever level for the first six months of the year, and are set to soar a…
UK and France Strike Deal to Curb Migrants From Illegally Crossing English Channel
France and the UK have struck an agreement aimed at preventing migrants from illegally crossing the English Channel in small boats. Under the new returns pilot scheme, announced on Thursday, around 50 illegal immigrants a week will be sent back to France in return for Britain taking the same number of asylum-seekers in France, under a legal route. Asylum-seekers in France, with ties to the UK, can submit an Expression of Interest for legal entry…
How UK-France ‘one in, one out’ migration deal will work – and what the challenges could be
After weeks of rising Channel crossing figures, the UK government has agreed on a long-awaited migration deal with France. Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron announced a “one in, one out” pilot – and the UK prime minister said the “groundbreaking” scheme could start returning migrants to France within weeks. The deal was announced alongside a separate agreement to coordinate the use of French and British nuclear weapons. The migration agreement wi…
A repatriation agreement is intended to prevent refugees from crossing the Channel. It is a major success for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. What the deal brings is another question.
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