The amended "one in, one out" treaty between the UK and France has been hailed as a crucial step in closing the loophole exploited by people smugglers to re-enter the country. Since its introduction last July, at least four migrants had successfully evaded deportation by being forcibly brought back into the UK in lorries. This disturbing trend has prompted Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood to work with her French counterpart, Laurent Nuñez, to tighten the agreement's provisions.
The original treaty allowed for the reciprocal transfer of asylum seekers between the two nations, with Britain sending migrants who attempted the perilous Channel crossing back to France in exchange for an equivalent number of individuals who had not made the attempt. However, reports indicate that some deported migrants have been re-entering the UK using lorries, prompting concerns over the effectiveness of this policy.
As part of the treaty's amendment, a new classification – "returnee case" – has been introduced to identify claimants who fall into this category. Those found to be repeatedly entering the country illegally will now face deportation back to France, effectively closing the loophole exploited by people smugglers. Ms Mahmood has stressed that existing cooperation between the two countries remains strong while emphasizing the importance of this revised objective in tackling clandestine returns.
Since its introduction on 6 August last year, the UK has successfully removed 921 migrants who arrived in small boats to France under the treaty's reciprocal arrangement. This represents around 3.5% of all small boat arrivals during the same period. In return, the UK has accepted approximately 896 asylum seekers from France. The initial pilot scheme, originally set to conclude on 11 June, has now been extended by both countries until 1 October, indicating an ongoing commitment to the framework.
The amendment builds on broader efforts to tackle illegal migration, including a new £662 million deal confirmed in April aimed at preventing Channel crossings. A Home Office spokesperson highlighted that the returns agreement with France has led to the removal of over 900 migrants from British soil since July 2024, contributing to nearly 70,000 illegal migrants returned between those dates – a 41% increase compared to the preceding 21 months.
Source: The Times, The Guardian