Another migrant deported to France under the government’s “one in, one out” deal has returned to the UK and will be sent back to France “as quickly as possible”, the Home Office has said.
It comes after a migrant who returned to the UK by small boat less than a month after being removed to France under the scheme was removed again in early November.
The Home Office has said the second migrant to return has been detained and will have their removal “expedited”.
The man was detected by his biometrics and detained immediately on arrival in the UK, the government said.
A Home Office spokesperson said: “Anyone looking to return to the UK after being removed under the UK-France agreement is wasting their time and money. The message is clear: if you try to return to the UK, you will be sent back.”
The prime minister’s official spokesperson said the case was “evidence of the system working”, adding: “He was immediately detected at the front door, thanks to those biometrics being taken.
“Indeed, you’ll have seen reporting over the last few days, you’re starting to hear testimony from migrants who don’t want to risk their lives again on these dangerous crossings, and our new returns agreement sends a clear warning for those wanting to enter this country illegally who come here by small boats – ‘You’re wasting your time, your money, and you are risking your life’."
As of last week, 94 migrants had been removed from the UK to France under the UK-France treaty.
Fifty-seven people also have been brought to the UK under the deal, which sees small boat migrants deported back to France in exchange for others who are granted sanctuary.
Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesperson, Max Wilkinson MP, said that the news of another migrant’s return to the UK under the deal demonstrated “staggering levels of incompetence” from the Home Office.
He added: “Labour – and the Conservatives before them – have failed to break the grip of the gangs and bring the numbers down. Failures like this show just how broken our system is.”
The news comes after a number of small boats arrived in the UK over the weekend. 621 people made the journey across the Channel last Thursday, 648 on Friday and 503 on Saturday, according to government statistics.
More than 36,000 people have crossed the Channel in small boats since the start of 2025, an increase on the same period in 2024. However, rates are lower than in 2022, the highest year on record.
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