755 Refugees Cross the English Channel
Within a single day, 755 migrants attempted to illegally cross the English Channel in boats to reach the United Kingdom – the highest number so far this year.
On Thursday, over 750 boat refugees were registered in the UK, marking the highest daily total since the beginning of the year. According to the British Home Office, 755 individuals were counted crossing the English Channel in a total of 14 small boats.
This surpasses the 100,000 mark, with a total of 100,715 people using the English Channel for illegal entry into the UK since 2018, according to the AFP news agency.
British Government Tightens Asylum and Migration Laws
Despite promises during Brexit that the British government aimed to regain control of its borders, the number of irregular migrants entering the country has steadily increased in recent years. Last year, a record number of 45,000 individuals were reported, while this year, since the beginning of the year, it has reached 15,826.
In light of this, the Conservative government led by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is vehemently trying to halt illegal migration. In July, a law came into effect that prohibits migrants who have entered the country illegally from even applying for asylum. Just this week, Sunak threatened lawyers with life imprisonment if they aid migrants in the forgery of asylum applications.
The sea route from France to the UK is considered dangerous, with frequent fatal accidents occurring in the English Channel. To deter migrants from making the crossing, France and the UK signed a comprehensive agreement last year. This agreement includes the use of drones, sniffer dogs, and additional personnel for stricter border control.
