In early July, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron announced the beginning of a new cooperation between their two states to control the unprecedented rise of illegal crossings across the English Channel.
The deal involves the deportation of one migrant, who crossed the Channel illegally and with no family connection in the UK, to France, who will send a migrant who has not yet attempted an illegal crossing but wants to live in the UK in their place.
The deal ensures that anyone crossing the Channel as an irregular migrant will be immediately detained and deported, while those who do arrive from France will do so after rigorous security checks and approval of the British authorities. This includes identification, documents, photographs, and biometric controls.
The pilot took effect last week, with detention beginning August 6 and the reciprocal process applications launching the day after.
Pilot Scheme and First Arrests
The scheme’s trial phase, or pilot, running until June 2026, is closely monitored by the international community for its near-infringement of international law but also for whether it will be effective.
UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has stated before that they are expecting people to fight back with human rights claims, but since France is a safe country, she was confident that the government would be able to “robustly defend against any legal challenge that people try.”
Operational details have been scarce, but officials have confirmed that British authorities were expected to make referrals to France within 3 days, who will respond within 14 days.
On August 6, the first arrests were made at Dover; several dozen migrants were detained and processed, expected to be taken back to France within 3 weeks. “Anyone who arrives from now on is eligible for immediate detention and return,” Cooper said.
The deal aims to control the waves of illegal crossings to decrease criminal influence and ensure the safety of migrants themselves. Posters have been put up in Northern France, warning anyone hoping to cross, what awaits them on the other side. The government has also introduced the first sanctions focusing on criminals and organizations instrumental for the smuggling business.
“That sends a message to every migrant currently thinking of paying organized crime gangs to go to the UK that they will be risking their lives and throwing away their money if they get into a small boat,” Cooper said in a statement.
The government also began a “deport now, appeal later” scheme, which removes migrants with criminal convictions before their appeals were heard.
Potential Pitfalls
The deal was immediately met with criticism: as the number of returnees was kept confidential due to fears that it could be “operational information” for the gangs, experts questioned the efficiency of the deal.
Meanwhile, UK newspaper The Guardian was told by Home Office sources that the deal would only involve about 50 deportations, while hundreds are on their way to the UK; and those not taken in by France, cannot be ousted due to the lack of an alternative third country.
Meanwhile, the released document on the agreement revealed more information critics found worrisome: the deal must be renewed before 11 June next year, but could be ended by either side within a month’s notice. The deal already did not cover children and medically vulnerable people; but the documents reveal it also excludes anyone with an outstanding asylum claim.
It also revealed that the UK would be the one paying for “all transport costs incurred in connection with readmission pursuant to this agreement” and must be the one to provide it as well.
Furthermore, France can reject any individual that threatens French “public policy, internal security, public health or the international relations of any of the Schengen states.”
The EU could also be a potential obstacle for the deal; while the bloc approved the deal’s pilot scheme, the issue of migration and border control continues to move toward an integrated, common EU policy, which could affect how France participates in future exchanges.
Migration Steers Politics in Britain
One of Starmer’s first move after coming into office was scrapping the highly controversial Rwanda deal, that drew much criticism for its choice of third country. However, Starmer struggled to provide an adequate alternative for dealing with the migration issue.
But its importance for larger British society became clear: in the recent local elections, Reform UK, focusing on migration, claimed victory with 41% of seats, 677 to be exact, while Labour only took 98, down from 189. It became clear that ignoring the social discourse around immigration would cost Labour its government.
Reform has kept the issue on the agenda ever since, fueling the anti-immigration protests that swept across the country in recent weeks after residents of an asylum hotel in Epping were revealed to be suspects in a sexual assault case.
Such incidents have caused a public outcry to change government guidance and share the immigration status or ethnicity of criminals in future cases, culminating in the changing of government guidance.
Even if the deal will make enough difference, it might not make it fast enough to save Starmer’s government: since he took power, numbers have skyrocketed. Small boat arrivals were up 48% in the first half of 2025 compared to the previous year. Moreover, more than 50,000 crossed the Channel since Starmer took office.
While these numbers fluctuate due to various factors, that may not be enough for British society, which has been demanding change in the matter for years.
