UK Deports Migrant Back to France Again After Return by Small Boat
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood confirmed that the man was identified through biometric data and detained immediately
A migrant who had re-entered the United Kingdom by small boat after previously being deported to France under a new bilateral agreement was removed once more on Wednesday, according to the UK government
The asylum seeker, believed to be from Iran, was first sent to France on September 19 under the “one-in-one-out” migration deal between London and Paris
However, he returned to the UK on October 18, reportedly intending to claim asylum on the grounds that he was a victim of a human trafficking network operating in northern France
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood confirmed that the man was identified through biometric data and detained immediately
“His case was expedited, and now he has been removed again,” Mahmood said. “Anyone trying to return to the UK after removal under the UK-France agreement is wasting their time and money if you come back, you’ll be sent back again”
The incident poses an embarrassing setback for the scheme, which aims to deter the tens of thousands of migrants crossing the English Channel each year
The migration agreement, signed by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron, came into effect in September
It allows Britain to deport migrants deemed ineligible to stay, while accepting an equal number of asylum seekers from France who are more likely to be approved particularly those vulnerable to smugglers or with family ties in the UK
So far, 94 migrants have been deported under the deal, while 57 have arrived in Britain through the official route, according to the UK Interior Ministry
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Rights groups have criticised the policy as unfair, while opposition politicians have dismissed it as a “political gimmick” with little impact
Nearly 37,000 migrants have crossed the Channel into Britain so far in 2025 already surpassing last year’s total and marking the second-highest figure since records began, behind the 45,774 arrivals recorded in 2022
Writer : Mweru Mbugua
