Illegal migrants crossing Channel to hit record 7,500, four times rate last year, says study by campaign group

The number of illegal migrants crossing the Channel is set to hit 7,500 by Christmas, four times last year’s figure, says a campaign group, as pressure grows on Priti Patel after her refusal to set timescale for ending trade.

Migrationwatch said "tough words" but ineffectual action by the Governments of the UK and France meant that 2,400 illegal migrants had reached the UK already this year, with numbers increasing dramatically since April.

It said that on current trends, there would be another 5,000 by Christmas, taking the total to 7,500 compared with 1,892 for the whole of last year.

It follows the Home Secretary’s refusal to set a new target for reducing  illegal migrant crossings after pledging “urgent action” last year to make it an "infrequent phenomenon.”

Since January when it was 94, it has increased almost month by month to 228 in March, 523 in April, 684 in May and 680 in June.

Alp Mehmet, chair of Migration Watch, said: “The Home Secretary said she wanted illegal Channel crossings to become an ‘infrequent phenomenon’. The opposite has happened with their frequency picking up pace.   

“This cannot continue; it undermines confidence in the whole system and emboldens the traffickers. Urgent and effective action is essential if the public’s faith in our ability to control our border is not to be lost for good.” 

The group called for a new agreement with the French for the immediate return of all those detected attempting to cross the Channel illegally from France - a move that Ms Patel is also seeking to negotiate with France.

It also called for a major boost in funding for UK immigration enforcement and a substantial increase in the number of removals of those with no right to be here, including failed asylum seekers.

Ms Patel wants to replace the current agreement with France and the EU with a new legal framework that will allow Britain to return illegal migrants whether caught on sea or land.

She said the new laws would enable the UK “to do much more to enforce this principle that if you come from a safe country, you will be going back to that safe country. You will not be able to claim asylum in this country.”