Photo credit: www.yahoo.com
UK Government Faces Rising Migrant Crossings Amid New Policies
The UK government is defending its strategy aimed at curbing the number of small boat crossings over the Channel, following a notable 20% increase in migrant arrivals this year. Statistics from the Home Office reveal that 842 individuals undertook the perilous journey from France to the UK in the first three days of March alone.
The weekend witnessed an all-time high for this year, with 592 migrants making the crossing on March 2. This surge has brought the total number of arrivals in 2025 to 2,716, marking a significant uptick compared to the same timeframe last year, which recorded 2,255 crossings. However, the current figure still falls short by 8% compared to the 2023 total of 2,953 at this point.
A spokesperson for the Prime Minister emphasized the challenges faced, noting that decreasing the number of migrants arriving in small boats will require time and persistence. “We inherited a system in chaos, and there are no quick fixes to address the complex issue of illegal migration,” the spokesman stated on Monday.
The government has implemented a comprehensive plan to tackle the situation, including the establishment of the new Border Security Command and enhanced efforts to increase the removal of individuals who do not qualify for asylum. Law enforcement agencies have also been empowered with greater authority to dismantle smuggling networks.
Recent months have seen effective collaborations across borders, leading to significant arrests and disruptions of people smuggling operations throughout Europe. The government has reported the return of 19,000 individuals, including failed asylum seekers and foreign criminals, while intensifying operations against illegal working.
Prior to Sunday, the year’s maximum daily count stood at 260 arrivals, recorded on January 13, indicating a trend towards increased crossings as weather conditions begin to improve.
The French government has also confirmed active rescue operations that took place overnight from Saturday to Sunday, responding to multiple distress calls from migrants at sea. Two individuals aboard one vessel were reportedly showing signs of hypothermia.
In a move to intensify the crackdown on smuggling operations, the British government announced new legislative powers aimed at combating migrant trafficking earlier this year. These measures will empower investigators to confiscate mobile devices from suspected traffickers and criminalize the act of endangering lives at sea.
Individuals involved in the sale and maintenance of boats used for illicit crossings could face significant prison sentences of up to 14 years, according to the provisions outlined by Home Secretary Yvette Cooper.
The recent figures bring the total number of crossings recorded since Sir Keir Starmer assumed the role of Prime Minister to 25,958. Despite this increase, the current daily total remains far below the peak daily crossings of 1,305, which occurred on September 3, 2022.
Source
www.yahoo.com