‘If you break the law to enter this country, you will face being sent back,’ PM Starmer said.
On August 7, 2025, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the immediate detention of illegal migrants as part of a new return agreement between Britain and France. This agreement aims to dissuade unlawful entries as officials ramp up efforts to tackle the ongoing migrant crisis.
Starmer stated, “We have detained the first illegal migrants under our new deal before returning them to France. If you break the law to enter this country, you will face being sent back.” The UK Home Office revealed that these migrants were intercepted after arriving in a small boat on August 6, with plans for their return to France in the upcoming weeks.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper refrained from disclosing the number of detainees or their projected return dates, as critics question the effectiveness of the new policy in deterring potential migrants. “The transfers to immigration removal centers are under way as we speak, so we won’t provide operational details at this point that criminal gangs can simply use and exploit. But no one should be in any doubt: anyone who arrives from now on is eligible for immediate detention and return,” she asserted.
British authorities plan to submit requests for migrant returns to France within three days of their arrival by small boat, with a 14-day window for French responses. This pilot scheme, set to last 11 months, includes reciprocal arrangements whereby Britain will accept an equivalent number of asylum seekers from France, provided they have not attempted illegal crossings and can pass security and eligibility assessments.
According to Home Office statistics, over 25,000 individuals have crossed the English Channel in small boats so far in 2025, marking a 49% increase from the same timeframe in 2024. The ongoing situation underscores the challenges both countries face in managing migration across the Channel, and the stakes are high as the new agreement is set in motion, reports 24brussels.
