British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak indicated on Monday that his plan to stop the arrival of migrants via small boats has reduced crossings by 20 percent. In a press conference in southern England, Sunak stated, "In the five months since the launch of the plan, crossings have now decreased by 20 percent compared to last year." He emphasized that the plan is effective but added that his government is not satisfied and will work hard to ensure the parliament passes new legislation.
The U.K. government will house hundreds more asylum-seekers on barges, Sunak said, while unveiling the latest migration figures indicating his plans to crack down on small boat crossings in the English Channel. He urged parliament to pass new legislation he proposed to address illegal immigration, which would allow for the swift detention and deportation of individuals arriving by small boats to their home countries or to what are referred to as safe third countries like Rwanda. He added: "This will not be solved overnight, and the arrival of refugees will continue this summer; for this reason, it is extremely important that we change the law."
