A family of three, including a young child, has become the inaugural group to reach the UK under an agreement with France that operates on a “one-in, one-out” basis. This deal was established to offer a legal pathway for asylum seekers, aiming to discourage risky Channel crossings in small boats.
As per the arrangement, individuals with valid claims in France, who have not attempted the Channel crossing before, will be accepted by Britain. In exchange, France will repatriate an equal number of migrants who have arrived in the UK via flimsy vessels, adhering to the “one-in, one-out” pact. The initial four individuals have already been returned to France under this pact.
This initiative is part of Keir Starmer’s campaign to dismantle the criminal networks profiting from the perilous crossings, which tragically led to at least 78 deaths in 2024. The UK-France agreement, operational since last month, empowers the government to detain individuals arriving by small boats and deport them before they enter the asylum system.
Following the arrival of the first group from France, a spokesperson from the Home Office emphasized the significance of the UK-France deal in sending a strong message to human traffickers that illegal entry into the UK will not be tolerated. The Home Office reiterated its commitment to detaining and repatriating individuals arriving via small boats, while collaborating with France to establish a legal pathway for an equivalent number of eligible migrants to come to the UK after security screenings.
The UK government is actively working to curb the influx of individuals undertaking dangerous sea journeys to reach Britain. The ongoing efforts include increasing deportations to deter asylum seekers from relying on smugglers to facilitate their journey to the UK.
Since the implementation of the agreement, 32,188 individuals have arrived in the UK by small boat in 2025, with over 1,000 arrivals reported on a single day last Friday, following the commencement of returns to Paris as part of the deal. The government aims to scale up deportations under the pilot scheme, scheduled to run until June next year, with the aim of discouraging illegal crossings and ensuring border security.