CHANNEL migrants will be returned to France by the end of the month, the Home Secretary vowed today.
Yvette Cooper told the House of Commons that the one-in-one-out deal with France, which was signed earlier this year, will see the first people deported from the UK within the next few weeks.
More than 29,000 people have arrived on small boats this year already
AFPYvette Cooper made the announcement in Parliament this afternoon[/caption]
More than 29,000 people have crossed the Channel from France on small boats this year alone.
Ms Cooper told Parliament: “In August I signed the new treaty with France allowing us for the first time to directly return those who arrive on small boats.
“The first detentions took place the next day – of people immediately on arrival at Dover and we expect the first returns to begin later this month.
“Applications have also been opened for the reciprocal legal route, with the first cases under consideration, subject to the strict security checks.
“We have made clear this is a pilot scheme – the more that we prove the concept at the outset, the better we will be able to develop and grow it.
“But the principles it embodies are crucial. Because no one should be making these dangerous or illegal journeys on small boats. And if they do, we want to see them swiftly returned.”
The Home Secretary also told parliament she wants to see “radical” reforms to Britain’s border security and the asylum system.
They will include making it more difficult for refugees to bring family members with them to the UK.
New immigration rules will temporarily suspend new applications from dependants of refugees who are already in Britain.
She vowed to “close all asylum hotels but said it needs to be done in an “orderly” manner.
Earlier today Sir Keir Starmer vowed to accelerate his 2029 deadline for shutting illegal migrant hotels – but refused to commit to a specific date.
The PM slammed Nigel Farage‘s sweeping deportation plans while pledging to fast-track Labour’s original timeline for ending the hotel chaos.
The Home Office currently houses around 32,000 asylum seekers in over 200 hotels across Britain.
Yvette Cooper said that in the last year a record number of disruptions of immigration crime networks were carried out by the National Crime Agency.
The NCA led 347 disruptions of immigration crime networks – its highest level on record and a 40 per cent increase on the previous 12 months.
Out of those, 56 were of the highest-impact disruptions, leading – according to the NCA’s official assessment – to “a significant and long term impact on the capability of the organised crime group.”
Two operations on the Bulgarian border at the end of July and mid-August led to the seizure of 45 dinghies.
She claimed that August had seen the lowest number of boats crossing the Channel – 55 – in total since the crisis began.
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp accused Ms Cooper of “living in a parallel universe” after a failure of her previous promise to “smash the gangs” behind the crossings.
A new independent body will be introduced to fast track immigration appeals, which are currently clogging the system.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “We inherited an asylum and immigration system in complete chaos and disarray.
“As part of the Plan for Change, our action to strengthen border security, increase returns and overhaul the broken asylum system are putting much stronger foundations in place so we can fix the chaos we inherited and end costly asylum hotels.
“That means ensuring we have the powers we need to pursue the criminal smuggling gangs profiting from small boat crossings that other parties have voted against, but also new firm rules in place to manage the asylum system so we can close hotels.
“These are complex challenges and they require sustainable and workable solutions, not fantasy promises which can’t be delivered.
“Britain has a proud record of giving sanctuary to those fleeing persecution, including in recent years from Ukraine and Hong Kong and we must do more to help students from Gaza.
“But the whole system needs to be properly controlled and managed, so the rules are respected and enforced, and so governments not criminal gangs decide who comes to the UK.”
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