At least 430 migrants crossed the canal towards the UK on Monday. This was reported by the British Home Office.
With this figure of 430, a new record was set, at a time when Parliament is studying a bill to tighten the British asylum system.
The previous record is dated according to the news agency Palestinian Authority In September 2020, when 416 migrants arrived in the UK via the Channel. The French and British Interior Ministers Gerald Darmanin and Priti Patel held a meeting on Tuesday evening on the issue. They signed an agreement to enhance cooperation between the two countries in combating illegal immigration, said a press release issued by the Patel government.
For example, France, with support from the United Kingdom, will allocate additional resources to combating illegal immigration, with additional patrols on the north coast between Boulogne and Dunkirk and towards the northwest around Dieppe. Additional surveillance technology will also be introduced on the French side to prevent attempts to cross the road, including airborne surveillance. Finally, investments will be made in infrastructure to increase safety.
Prison sentences of up to four years for immigrants
France doubled last year the number of customers on the beaches with the support of London. The country has also invested in technology and improved data sharing. As a result, the number of crossings can be avoided twice this year compared to last year. “As the French were able to block more crossings, the criminal gangs changed their tactics. They moved further on the French coast, forcing the migrants to follow longer and more dangerous routes.” According to the BBC, nearly 8,000 people on 345 boats have arrived on the British coast since the start of the year.
The British Parliament is currently considering a bill from Patel to reform the asylum system. The goal is to discourage illegal immigration, including by treating asylum seekers who have entered the country legally or illegally differently. Imprisonment sentences for migrants to return to the country illegally will also increase from six months to four years. People smugglers risk life in prison, compared to fourteen today.
