Saturday, March 29, 2025
In August 2025, the United Kingdom and France signed a pilot Returns Agreement that will remain in force until June 2026.
Key Points of the Agreement:
Return of illegal migrants – Migrants who cross the English Channel illegally in small boats and are found to have come through France can be returned back to France.
“One-in, one-out” system – In exchange, the UK agrees to accept an equal number of people from France through safe and legal asylum routes.
Strict checks – All individuals under this system are subject to security vetting and eligibility checks.
First case: Indian citizen – The first person deported under this deal was an Indian national who entered the UK illegally by small boat in August 2025. He was flown back to Paris on a commercial flight.
Options after return – On arrival in France, the person will be offered a voluntary return scheme to go back to India. If he refuses, he will be barred from applying for asylum in the future and may face forced deportation.
UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood called this move an “important first step towards border security” and a clear warning to those attempting illegal sea crossings.
She also emphasized that the UK will continue to accept refugees, but only through safe, legal, and organized routes—not dangerous Channel crossings.
The UK government says it will keep challenging last-minute legal appeals that delay deportations.
As of August 2025, there were 2,715 Indian nationals in UK immigration detention – a 108% increase compared to the previous year.
Last year alone, the UK deported over 35,000 people who had no right to stay, including a 14% rise in foreign offender removals and a 28% increase in asylum-related deportations.
