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Emigration and immigration

Inflation of Illegal Immigration: A Crisis in Cross-Channel Smuggling

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

The UK is grappling with an unprecedented rise in cross-channel people smuggling, with up to 80 illegal immigrants being transported at a time from France to Kent in small boats. The price of a passage on these boats, often made of cheap Chinese inflatables, has fallen to as little as £250, making it an attractive option for those seeking to enter the UK illegally. The French police's inability to effectively interfere with these operations, due to a rule prohibiting them from doing so on the high seas, has led to a surge in the number of migrants making the crossing.

Key Takeaways:

  • Between Wednesday of last week and yesterday, 1,733 illegal migrants made the crossing from France to the UK, often aided by French vessels until they were passed into the care of Border Force cutters.
  • The number of migrants crossing the Channel in small boats has increased by 43% so far in 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, with over 16,300 people having made the journey in 2025.
  • The majority of those making the crossing (three-quarters) are economic migrants who believe they can game the UK's immigration system and avoid deportation.
  • The backbone of Labour's immigration policy, led by Home Secretary Yvette Cooper and former Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, has been ineffective in stopping the boats, with the party's talk of smashing people smuggling gangs having produced little results.
  • The UK's immigration tribunal system is becoming a farce, with murderers, sex offenders, and drug dealers using Articles 3 and 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights to avoid deportation.
  • The government is reviewing the application of the Human Rights Act, and it is clear that the convention needs a rewrite, limiting its scope, to prevent it from becoming disreputable.

Statistics:

  • Over 1,733 migrants made the crossing between Wednesday of last week and yesterday
  • The number of migrants crossing the Channel in small boats has increased by 43% in 2025 compared to the same period in 2024
  • Over 16,300 people have crossed in small boats so far in 2025

Sources:

  • The Times
  • The Sunday Times

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