UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Britain will begin deporting Channel migrants to France under a “one in, one out” deal, aiming to tackle crossings and manage small-boat arrivals.
As reported by The Telegraph, under the UK-France “one in, one out” deal, the first Channel migrants could be deported as soon as Monday.
How will the first channel migrants be deported to France under Keir Starmer’s deal?
Under UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron, asylum seekers who arrived in the UK on small boats last month have been issued removal directions to return to France within five days.
In the first half of August, around 100 arrivals were detained before their names and details were sent to the French government for approval.
A similar number of asylum seekers applying from France, mostly due to family links, will be transferred to the UK under the July deal.
Legal teams, including those behind the first Rwanda deportation challenge, are representing detained migrants and planning individual legal cases. Unlike the first Rwanda flight, the policy is not expected to face a full judicial review at this stage.
How did Keir Starmer plan to scale up migrant returns to France?
Sir Keir Starmer is expected to call the return of migrants to France a landmark move, following recent political pressures involving Angela Rayner and Lord Mandelson.
The first returns are limited, but Prime Minister Starmer and Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood plan to use the scheme to deter migrants from making dangerous crossings.
The first Air France flights, scheduled Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday, are set ahead of US President Donald Trump’s state visit.
The first detentions involved migrants arriving on August 7 in two dinghies, the first Channel crossings under the new France deal.
After their arrest, the detainees were taken to Harmondsworth, with Mitie Care & Custody overseeing transport and management of UK immigration removal centres.
Under the deal, Britain had three days to inform France of planned deportations, with France expected to respond within two weeks. The migrants in detention can consult legal counsel and have seven days to file an appeal against their removal.
The initial 100 deportations represent a small fraction of the weekly 800 crossings, with authorities warning smugglers could use the low returns as a marketing tool.
Last week, the Home Office began advertising in France to alert migrants about the risk of deportation if they attempt the crossing.
An online portal opened last month for asylum seekers in France to register for the UK-France returns scheme.
Home Office’s stance on detaining and returning small-boat migrants
A Home Office spokesperson stated,
“Under the new UK-France treaty, people crossing in small boats can now be detained and removed to France. We expect the first returns to take place imminently.”
They added,
“Protecting the UK border is our top priority. We will do whatever it takes to restore order to secure our borders.”
Keir Starmer’s views on the new UK-France migrant deal
Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated,
“This ground-breaking deal is a crucial further step in turning the tide on illegal small boat crossings and restoring order to our immigration system.”
He said,
“For the first time, illegal migrants will be sent back to France – targeting the heart of these gangs’ business model and sending a clear message that these life-threatening journeys are pointless.”
Mr Starmer added,
“By resetting our relationships across Europe we’ve made levels of co-operation possible never seen before. This is about grip not gimmicks, and what serious government looks like – taking down these criminal enterprises piece by piece as we secure our borders through my Plan for Change.”
What did Yvette Cooper say about the Channel Small-Boats deal?
Former Home Secretary and current Foreign Secretary, Yvette Cooper, said,
“Dangerous small boats in our Channel undermine our border security and put lives at risk. That is why we are so determined to work with France to go after the criminal smuggler gangs, to undermine their business model, to begin returns and to prevent boat crossings.”
She stated,
“This new pilot agreement with France is extremely important and allows us for the first time to return people who have paid to travel here illegally, and will sit alongside our wider joint enforcement action, including disrupting supply chains to seize boats and engines, shutting down social media accounts, and targeting finances.”
Ms Cooper added,
“Since last summer, we have returned over 30,000 people with no right to be in the UK and a major surge in immigration enforcement activity, with a 51% increase in the number of illegal working arrests. We are building the foundations of a new and stronger approach to protecting our border security.”
Key facts about illegal migrants in the UK
In 2024, 36,816 migrants crossed the Channel by small boats, a 25% rise, averaging 56 per boat. Top nationalities were Afghans (15%), Eritreans (14%) and Iranians (10%), while Albanian arrivals fell.
Despite increased crossings, only 3% were returned between 2018–2024, with Albanians making up 76% of returns. Enforcement rose 25% in 2024, but overall returns remain low.