Nearly 1,900 migrants crossed the English Channel in small boats last year, prompting warnings from politicians that they would be sent back. But the figures suggest the reality is quite different. On 22 August last year, 94 people – including at least 10 children and one baby – piled into eight small boats on a beach in northern France and set sail for England’s south coast. Thirty were rescued by the French after getting into difficulty in the middle of the world’s busiest shipping lane. The remainder, like hundreds before them, slipped through the Strait of Dover and arrived in the UK. The next day, Prime Minister Boris Johnson told anyone hoping to follow them: “We will send you back.” He added: “If you come illegally, you are an illegal migrant and, I’m afraid, the law will treat you as such.” But, while at least 1,890 foreigners reached British shores in small boats last year, the Home Office says only about 125 were returned to European countries during the same period. In fact, experts say most of those crossing the Channel appear to have “strong” claims to asylum, with the majority hailing from Iran, according to the National Crime Agency (NCA). How can they legally claim Asylum in the UK when they’ve had to pass through numerous countries that are considered safe? It’s an Invasion!
Migrants from France Part 8
