English Channel migrant crossings (2018–present)

Refugees and migrants began entering the United Kingdom by crossing the English Channel in small boats in November 2018. They arrived in small craft and while some slip into the UK unnoticed, others are apprehended on British beaches, or rescued when the craft they are riding in founder off shore. The British government blames criminal gangs for arranging the crossings, while making it impossible for genuine refugees to reach these shores to claim their right to sanctuary.

"Crisis"

Anti-immigration politicians attached the label "crisis" to the sudden increase in seaborne crossings.[1]

Journalist and former Scottish Labour Party MP Tom Harris argues that the small boat crossings that are occurring are not a "crisis."[2]

Home Secretary Sajid Javid prefers to describe the increase in crossings as a "major incident."[3][4]

Background

Seaborne crossings aboard small boats by would-be refugees and migrants were rare before November 2018.[1][5] More commonly, refugees and migrant stowed away aboard trains, trucks or ferryboats, a technique that has become more difficult in recent years as British authorities have intensified searches of such vehicles.[1][6] Prices charged by smugglers for illegal rides across the Channel in lorries, trains and ferries have risen sharply.[6] Rumours that entering and claiming asylum in the UK will become more difficult once Brexit goes into effect circulated in migrant encampments in France, possibly fomented by people smugglers hoping to drum up business.[7][1][6]

Refugees and Migrants

Numbers

539 refugees and migrants are documented to have "tried to reach Britain on small boats" in 2018; many, however, were intercepted and returned to France.[8] 434 migrants are known to have made the crossing in small boats in October, November and December of 2018,[9] 100 in November of 2018,[7] 230 in December.[9][10]

227 refugees and migrants were intercepted and returned to the continent by French authorities in 2018, "at least" 95 refugees and migrants in December alone.[3][9]

By way of comparison, 26,547 asylum claims were filed by would be refugees in the U.K. in 2017.[9]

In April 2020, boat arrivals for that month was over 400 - the highest monthly total ever recorded.

The total number of migrants recorded to have crossed into the UK so far in 2020 was 864 as of April 26. [11]

Countries of origin

The refugees making the small boat crossings are coming disproportionately from Iran.[6][12][13]

Criminal smuggling gangs

Crossings are usually arranged by smugglers who charge between £3,000 and £6,000 for a crossing attempt in a small boat.[7][12] The Smugglers often use stolen boats for the crossings.[12][14][15][16]

On 2 January 2019 the National Crime Agency announced the arrest of a 33-year-old Iranian and a 24-year-old Briton in Manchester on suspicion of arranging the "illegal movement of migrants" across the English Channel.[17]

Responses

Government Response

Home Secretary Sajid Javid cut short a family holiday to deal with the small boat crossings.[3][4][18] On 31 December Javid reversed a previous refusal to station additional Border Force cutters in the Channel to intercept migrant smallcraft on the grounds that the cutters would become a "magnet" for migrants to attempt the crossing in the hope that their boats would be intercepted and enabled to apply for asylum. In agreeing to send more patrol boats, Javid promised to do "everything we can" to make sure that small boat migration "is not a success", including returning would-be migrants to France.[18] Cutters are en route form Gibraltar and the Mediterranean to carry out the channel mission.[18]

Javid has stated that migrants crossing the Channel from France are not "genuine" asylum seekers, since they are already residing in a safe country.[19]

Other Response

In late 2019, it was report that Members of the far-right group Britain First were patrolling beaches to 'catch migrants crossing. [20][21]

See also

References
  1. Pérez-Peña, Pérez-Peña (31 December 2018). "As Migrants Cross English Channel, Numbers Are Small but Worry Is Big". New York Times. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
  2. Harris, Tom (1 January 2019). "Why should Britain offer asylum to people who would rather not make their home in France?". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
  3. "Channel migrants: Minister defends handling of 'crisis'". BBC. 29 December 2018. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
  4. "Channel migrants: Home secretary declares major incident". BBC. 28 December 2018. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
  5. Bell, Melissa; Vandoorne, Saskya (6 December 2018). "Migrants risk death at sea to reach Britain as prices spike on traditional routes". CNN. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
  6. Picheta, Rob (2 January 2019). "'Deeply concerning': Why the rise in migrants crossing the English Channel?". CNN. Retrieved 3 January 2019.
  7. Campbell, Colin (27 November 2018). "Migrants 'rush to cross Channel by boat before Brexit'". BBC. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
  8. "Migrants Attempt Dangerous Trip Across the Channel". CNN. 2 January 2019. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
  9. Heffer, Greg (2 January 2019). "Channel migrants: What are the numbers behind the 'major incident'?". Sky News. Retrieved 3 January 2019.
  10. Topping, Alexandra (30 December 2018). "UK migrant 'crisis' bears no comparison to EU's 2015 influx". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
  11. https://metro.co.uk/2020/04/26/35-migrants-intercepted-trying-cross-english-channel-12611083/
  12. Henley, John (31 December 2018). "'This is the only way now': desperate Iranians attempt Channel crossing". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
  13. "Channel migrants: Why are people crossing the English Channel?". BBC. 2 January 2019. Retrieved 3 January 2019.
  14. "French police nab 14 migrants at Channel port harbour". France24. 1 January 2019. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
  15. "Migrants reach UK in stolen French fishing boat". AlJazeera. 13 November 2018. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
  16. Googan, Cara (16 November 2018). "Migrants pile into dinghies to cross Channel to Dover as 'panic setting in' before Brexit deadline hits". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
  17. "Two held over English Channel migrant crossings". BBC. 3 January 2019. Retrieved 3 January 2019.
  18. Johnson, Jamie; Hymas, Charles (31 December 2018). "Sajid Javid backs down over migrants as two more boats redeployed to the Channel". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
  19. Swinford, Steven (2 January 2019). "Migrants crossing English Channel are not 'genuine' asylum seekers, Sajid Javid suggests". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
  20. https://metro.co.uk/2019/09/19/far-right-britain-first-patrolling-beaches-catch-migrants-10775258/
  21. https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/far-right-britain-first-patrolling-20095776


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