The UK has kicked off removals under its game-changing migration pact with France. The first groups of illegal small boat arrivals have been flown back, hitting criminal smuggling gangs where it hurts.
Flights Begin as UK-French Deal Takes Off
The groundbreaking treaty gives the UK fresh powers to detain and swiftly send back migrants crossing the Channel illegally, cutting them off from the UK asylum system.
- In the past week, two group flights returned 19 migrants to France.
- Last month saw seven others sent back under the deal.
- The second flight reached France earlier today, with passengers headed on to Eastern Europe on routine return schedules.
- More flights are planned over coming days and weeks.
Legal Routes Open But Strictly Controlled
The UK and France are also running a strict legal channel allowing an equal number of vetted migrants to enter the UK safely. This week, nine migrants arrived through this route.
The pilot scheme will be expanded, with both nations pledging to improve and speed up operations.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood: “We’re Sending a Clear Message”
“We must put an end to these dangerous crossings which put lives at risk and money in the pockets of criminal gangs.
The last government’s Rwanda scheme took years, cost hundreds of millions, and failed to remove a single person. In weeks, we’ve returned 26 through our historic France agreement.
With flights to France now underway and ramping up, we’re sending a clear message: come illegally, and you face detention and removal. Think twice before you make that deadly journey.”
Crackdown on Smugglers and Faster Asylum Decisions
- National Crime Agency upped disruptions against smuggling rings by 40% last year, with over 350 operations.
- More than 35,000 people without legal UK status were returned, with asylum-related removals up 28% year-on-year.
- The Home Office is processing over 31,000 initial asylum decisions quarterly — triple the previous government’s rate.
This coordinated blitz of enforcement, international teamwork, and controlled migration routes underpins the government’s robust Plan for Change. The strategy aims to secure borders, uphold humanitarian duties, and crush criminal gangs exploiting vulnerable migrants.
