British authorities warned today that more than 200 migrants had crossed the Channel in a single day for the seventh time in a row, while last week’s figure surpassed the 2,100 people who crossed the Channel in small boats.
According to the Europa Press news agency, the British Home Office reported that about 210 migrants arrived on the British coast yesterday in five boats, with about 40 people on each boat.
On September 2, the country saw a record number of arrivals in a single day, with 872 migrants on 15 ships.
The UK has received 2,188 migrants in the past seven days, and 22,289 people have landed in the country via the English Channel since January 1.
Authorities are reviewing tightening laws to impose jail terms of up to four years on those entering the UK irregularly, while those charged with human trafficking could be jailed for life for organizing border crossings.
In late August, the British government reported on the possibility of installing electronic locators on migrants crossing the English Channel in small boats, a move that drew criticism and reactions from human rights groups.
Meanwhile, plans to send migrants to Rwanda or other countries remain blocked by the Justice Department.
In June, the UK Court of Appeal ruled that the African country could not be considered a safe third country due to the risks faced by migrants.
In a strategy to deter immigration, in April this year the British government introduced a controversial measure to provide asylum seekers crossing the English Channel: a barge called the Beebe Stockholm, located in southern England. It can accommodate up to 500 people, off the coast of Portland, Settlement.
Due to delays caused by fire safety issues, the ship did not receive its first 39 passengers until August.
However, on August 11, a health emergency caused all passengers on the ship to be evacuated due to the detection of bacteria that cause severe variant pneumonia on the ship.
The UK Home Office is also considering the use of tents as an accommodation solution for asylum seekers, a move aimed at cutting costs.
By the end of March 2023, the UK had hosted more than 47,000 applicants in hotels across the country.
According to an Interior Ministry source, the government has reserved nearly 5,000 hotel beds to prevent overcrowding in detention centres.
More than 100,000 people have crossed the English Channel from France on dangerous boats since the UK started counting such arrivals in 2018.
As of the end of June this year, more than 175,000 people were waiting for a decision on whether to obtain refugee status, a 44% increase from last year. (Tyram)