The British government announced that more than 880 illegal migrants crossed the Channel to Britain on small boats on Tuesday, marking the largest number in a single day so far this year. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has pledged to "stop the boats," but he has faced obstacles in his plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda. With 882 people crossing, the total for 2024 has reached 12,313, according to unverified figures from the Home Office. The number of crossings so far this year is an 18 percent increase compared to the same point last year, when the figure was 10,472. Authorities spotted about 15 boats on Tuesday.
A controversial law allowing the deportation of illegal migrants to Rwanda was passed in April after months of parliamentary debate. However, the future of this project remains uncertain following Rishi Sunak's announcement of legislative elections on July 4. Sunak has committed to deporting migrants "after the elections" if re-elected. However, the Labour Party, which is considered favored in the polls, has pledged to abandon this project. Labour leader Keir Starmer confirmed that he would drop the government's plan to deport migrants to Rwanda, which he views as costly and ineffective.
In 2023, 29,437 people arrived in Britain, a decrease of 36% from the record number of 45,774 in 2022.
