Only a fraction of illegal migrants sent back under France returns deal
Just 153 asylum seekers have been returned to France under the recent one-in-one-out agreement, representing a mere one in 90 of those reaching the UK illegally, reports BritPanorama.
Statistics reveal that while 141 migrants have successfully entered the UK, over 13,000 migrants have arrived via the Channel in small boats, resulting in a deportation rate of only 1.1 percent. The most recent arrivals include seven migrants who flew into the UK on Friday.
The slow progress of deportations has drawn criticism, with Home Office sources attributing the limitations to strict entry criteria. The department indicated plans to expand the pilot scheme within the coming months.
Under the current stipulations, asylum seekers must possess a passport or national identity document and be located in France to qualify for entry. The Home Office prioritises individuals from specific countries with high asylum grant rates in the UK, including Eritrea, Afghanistan, and Sudan.
The process involves potential migrants arranging an appointment at a visa application centre in Paris where they present their identity documents. However, the majority of Eritreans fleeing their country lack passports due to mandatory military service, despite citing military avoidance as their reason for departure.
A Home Office spokesperson stated, “We continue to receive and accept more applicants, with stringent security and eligibility checks to ensure the integrity of this new safe and legal route. We are scaling up the pilot scheme and returns of those with no right to be here as part of our landmark agreement with France. More than 150 small boat migrants have already been removed, with further flights scheduled in the coming weeks. In return, we have taken 141 migrants.”
The disparity between arrivals and deportations underscores the ongoing complexities involved in managing migration across the Channel, highlighting significant challenges for the UK government’s current strategy.
