A Home Office spokesperson said:
“This Government is bearing down on small boat crossings.
“We have stopped 40,000 crossing attempts since this Government came into office through our joint work with the French. We have removed or deported almost 60,000 people who were here illegally. Our pilot deal with the French means those who arrive on small boats are now being sent back.
“The Home Secretary has also announced the most sweeping reforms to tackle illegal migration in modern times, removing the incentives that bring illegal migrants to the UK and scaling up the return of those with no right to be here.”
Background:
- The Home Secretary announced new measures to reduce the incentives for illegal migrants to come to the UK such as revoking the statutory legal duty to provide asylum-seeker support, including housing and handouts, for those that have a right to work and who can support themselves but choose not to or those who break UK law.
- The Home Secretary also announced measures to increase removals of illegal migrants with no right to be here, including restricting illegal migrants to a single route of appeal and fast-tracking cases with little chance of success to increase removals.
- Over 58,500 illegal migrants and foreign criminals have been removed or deported from the UK since the 2024 election. More than 15,200 illegal migrants were deported and forcibly removed in that same period, a 45% increase on the 19 months prior. Deportations of foreign national offenders including murderers and rapists are up 32%, with more than 8,700 deported since government came into power.
- Under the Border Security Asylum and Immigration Act, we are taking on the gangs with stronger powers to disable criminal activity faster. Officers are now able to seize electronic devices like mobile phones, suspected of containing information about organised immigration crime.
- 2022 saw the worst year on record for small boat crossings when over 45,000 people arrived in the UK via small boat.