THE UK has been forced to rewrite the “one in, one out” deal with France as small boat migrants continue to re-enter Britain.
People smugglers have been using lorries to bring migrants previously deported under the deal back into the country.
The UK will re-write its one in, one out deal with France Credit: Getty
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has agreed an amendment with French officials Credit: Shutterstock Editorial
The original treaty stated that migrants coming to Britain on small boats could be returned to France.
Now, has agreed an amendment with French officials that will mean migrants who return to the UK via lorry will be sent back to France again.
The rewriting will involve a new classification for migrants dubbed the “returnee case” reports The Times.
Since the treaty came into effect on Aug 6 last year, 921 small boat migrants have been returned to France, just 3.5 per cent of the total number.
The UK has taken 896 asylum seekers from France in the same period.
The treaty allowed for illegal Channel migrants to return to France if the UK accepted the same number of asylum seekers.
In march, four booted out of the UK sneaked back in on a lorry.
This followed at least two more who were smuggled in last autumn.
Ms Mahmood and the French interior minister, Laurent Nuñez, said the treaty will now apply no matter how the deported migrant returns to the UK.
The Home Secretary said in a letter to her French counterpart: “Following our recent meeting which allowed us to observe the quality of the co-operation established under the agreement… I wish to propose an addition to the objectives of the agreement, explicitly adding the objective of deterring clandestine returns to the UK by individuals previously transferred to France under the agreement.”
One migrant who re-entered the UK after being removed to France said: “They caught me near the shelter and sent me back to UK by force in a lorry.
“The smugglers have guns, they control everything, we have to try to stay alive.”
A spokesman said: “Under our returns agreement with France, we have already removed more than 900 illegal migrants from British soil.
“This contributes to the nearly 70,000 illegal migrants who have been returned from July 2024 to March 31, 2026, up 41 per cent on the 21 months prior.”
The “one in, one out” deal has been extended to October.
A decision will then be taken on whether it becomes permanent or not.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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