Record Migrant Arrivals at Dover as ‘One In, One Out’ Deal Faces Early Test
Dover witnessed its busiest day of migrant arrivals this year on Saturday, as 435 people in seven small boats were brought ashore by the UK Border Force and the RNLI. According to the Home Office, the figure marks the highest single-day total since the government’s new “one in, one out” agreement with France began operating last Wednesday.
Among those arriving were children, highlighting the continuing humanitarian and political challenges surrounding Channel crossings. The record arrivals came on the same day as nationwide protests over immigration policy, reflecting deep divisions across the country.
Since the start of the year, more than 25,000 migrants have crossed the English Channel to reach the UK. Under the new pilot scheme, Britain will return a proportion of migrants arriving in Dover back to France. In exchange, the UK will accept an equal number of asylum seekers from France deemed to have a legitimate claim to protection in Britain.
Officials stress that the numbers involved in the scheme will initially be modest, with the first transfers expected within weeks. Still, the initiative has already drawn sharp scrutiny.
Crackdown on Smugglers
The surge in crossings comes as the government faces mounting political pressure over illegal immigration. New measures propose prison sentences of up to five years for those caught advertising illegal Channel crossings online. The Home Office is also funding an additional 300 National Crime Agency (NCA) officers to target the smuggling gangs behind the dangerous journeys.
The NCA has been collaborating closely with French law enforcement, a partnership that has already led to over 300 arrests in the last five years. In July, six members of an Afghan people-smuggling network were sentenced in France to a combined 26 years and 10 months in prison, alongside fines totaling £150,000.
Rick Jones, head of the NCA’s international network, emphasised France’s importance in tackling the crisis:
“France is a key partner for the UK in the fight against organised immigration crime, and the NCA enjoys an excellent bilateral relationship with our French law enforcement counterparts. Together, we are determined to target these cruel smuggling gangs who put lives at risk.”
A Long Road Ahead
With protests outside hotels housing asylum seekers and tensions running high, the new deal faces a tough road to proving its effectiveness. While the “one in, one out” scheme aims to restore order and fairness to the asylum process, Saturday’s record figures suggest that the Channel crossings crisis will remain one of the most pressing political issues in Britain for months to come.