The UK government is currently in talks with France to establish a scheme aimed at returning illegal migrants who have crossed the English Channel in small boats. In exchange, the UK would accept legal migrants seeking family reunification. The French Interior Ministry confirmed that this would be a pilot program based on a "one-for-one principle" designed to deter human trafficking networks.

UK Transport Minister Lilian Greenwood acknowledged ongoing discussions with France on migration matters but did not comment on a potential deportation deal. She confirmed, however, that talks focus on stopping the dangerous trade of people across the Channel. The pilot scheme is intended to discourage both migrants and smuggling networks from attempting the crossing. It proposes that for every legal migrant allowed into the UK for family reunification, a corresponding undocumented migrant who crosses the Channel would be sent back to France.

Experts suggest that the success of this measure will depend on the number of migrants returned from the UK to France, with hopes that large returns would act as a deterrent. However, in the short term, it is not expected to significantly reduce the UK's responsibility for asylum seekers. Last year, the UK’s Conservative government agreed to pay France nearly £500 million over three years to bolster efforts to stop Channel crossings. Labour's shadow home secretary criticized the plan, arguing that it would only result in the return of a small number of migrants and would not effectively deter illegal crossings. He also pointed to the scrapping of the Rwanda deportation scheme, which aimed to send illegal arrivals to Rwanda but was halted by legal challenges.

Reform UK MP Lee Anderson argued that instead of negotiating agreements on migrant returns, the UK should focus on securing its borders more effectively. A Liberal Democrat spokesperson, however, expressed support for the migrant return scheme, emphasizing the need to address dangerous boat crossings. Prime Minister Keir Starmer had previously suggested pursuing an EU-wide returns agreement, but no such deal has materialized since Labour came to power. Some EU countries, such as Hungary, may oppose such an agreement.

In the meantime, the UK government continues to target people-smuggling gangs and has introduced new measures, including criminalizing the endangerment of lives at sea with up to five years in prison. Despite these efforts, illegal migration remains a significant challenge, with the latest data showing a sharp increase in boat arrivals in 2025 compared to last year. The UK and France are enhancing their cooperation, including deploying more officers and increasing intelligence-sharing, to tackle the issue.

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