80,000 migrants cross the Channel since Rwanda deal introduced

More than 80,000 migrants have successfully crossed the English Channel on small boats since the Government announced their controversial Rwanda asylum policy in April 2022. 

Already this month, almost 300 migrants have made the perilous crossing despite increasing efforts by French and British authorities to discourage attempts. 

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak insists the threat of being sent to Rwanda will prove to be a massive disincentive to migrants considering travelling to the UK without proper authorisation. 

Since the start of the year, more than 10,745 migrants have made the crossing – an increase of 41 per cent on the same period last year and eight per cent higher than 2022 – when there was a record number of successful journeys.

The agreement signed by then home secretary Priti Patel on April 14 2022 – which she described as ‘world-first’ – paved the way for migrants to be handed a one-way ticket to the east African nation if they were deemed to have arrived in the UK illegally.

Since January 1, almost 11,000 migrants have crossed the English Channel on small boats 

The migrants are detected and picked up by the coast guard, the RNLI or Border Force vessels while on their perilous journey

More than 80,000 migrants have arrived in the UK after crossing the Channel since the Government struck the Rwanda deal over two years ago

Some 80,109 migrants have been recorded arriving in the UK after crossing the Channel between April 15 2022 and June 4 2024, government figures show.

More than 80,000 migrants have arrived in the UK after crossing the Channel since the Government struck the Rwanda deal over two years ago.

The tally since Rishi Sunak became Prime Minister is edging closer to 50,000 and the number arriving since the General Election was called is nearing 1,000.

The Rwanda agreement signed by then home secretary Priti Patel on April 14 2022 – which she described as a ‘world-first’ – paved the way for migrants to be handed a one-way ticket to the east African nation if they were deemed to have arrived in the UK illegally.

But the plan has been beset with difficulties ever since and stalled amid a string of legal challenges.

With immigration a key election campaign battleground, Mr Sunak – who promised to ‘stop the boats’ altogether – has consistently pointed to the Rwanda plan to achieve this, describing it as an ‘indispensable deterrent’.

But he admitted flights would not take off before the General Election, pledging that he would stick to the plan if re-elected.

The Home Office said 234 people made the journey in four boats on Tuesday. This suggests an average of 59 people per boat and takes the provisional total number of crossings for the year so far to 10,745.

Mr Sunak announced his ‘stop the boats’ clarion call on January 2, 2023. Since then, more than 40,000 have made the crossing. 

Almost 1,000 people have arrived since the General Election was called on May 22. 

Mr Sunak offered his strongest suggestion yet that he could be willing to leave the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) if the Rwanda plan remained blocked by the courts, as he clashed with Sir Keir Starmer in their first TV election debate.

‘If I am forced to choose between securing our borders and our country’s security, or a foreign court, I’m going to choose our country’s security every single time,’ Mr Sunak said.

But the Labour leader warned the UK risked becoming a ‘pariah’ state if it left international conventions.

The tally since Rishi Sunak became Prime Minister is edging closer to 50,000 and the number arriving since the General Election was called is nearing 1,000

Last week, before Parliament was dissolved, a group of MPs warned the Home Office ‘does not have a credible plan’ for sending asylum seekers to Rwanda.

The Commons Public Accounts Committee (PAC) said it has ‘little confidence’ in the government department’s ability to put the plan into action, finding it has ‘little to show’ for the millions of pounds spent so far on the policy and its asylum accommodation projects – which ‘fell woefully short of reality’.

The Home Office said 234 people made the journey in four boats on Tuesday. This suggests an average of 59 people per boat and takes the provisional total number of crossings for the year so far to 10,745.

In May, a total of 2,881 people were picked up making the crossing.

Tuesday’s arrivals take the total so far this year to 10,745 in 219 boats.

A total of 29,437 made the 21-mile crossing in 2023 with a record 45,755 in 2022.

A Home Office spokesperson said: ‘We continue to work closely with our French partners to prevent crossings and save lives.’

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