Second migrant sent to France returns to the UK

A second migrant who had been sent from the UK to France under the government’s “one in, one out” deal has returned to the UK, the Home Office has confirmed.

The man was detained immediately, having been detected by biometrics, and will be sent back to France “as quickly as possible”, the Home Office has said.

The “one in, one out” pilot scheme with France is aimed at deterring migrants from coming to the UK in small boats across the English Channel.

Last month, an Iranian man re-entered the UK by small boat one month after being removed to France. He was deported again last Wednesday.

A Home Office spokesperson said officials would continue to catch and return anyone trying to re-enter the UK.

“Anyone looking to return to the UK after being removed under the UK-France agreement is wasting their time and money,” the spokesperson said.

“This individual was detected by biometrics and detained immediately. His case will be expedited, and he will be returned to France as quickly as possible.

“The message is clear: if you try to return to the UK you will be sent back. We will do whatever it takes to scale up removals of illegal migrants and secure our borders.”

The first flight carrying a cross-Channel small boat migrant, an Indian national, landed in Paris on 18 September.

The UK-France deal for a pilot scheme was struck in September and aims to deter small boat crossings by returning migrants.

About 100 men were detained after arriving in the UK on a small boat, sent to immigration removal centres near Heathrow, and told they may be returned to France.

More than 500 migrants crossed the Channel by small boat on Saturday, and 38,726 have made the journey so far this year.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is now considering a major restructure of the UK’s immigration rules modelled on Denmark’s system.

At Labour conference in September, Mahmood promised to “do whatever it takes” to regain control of Britain’s borders and is said to be impressed that Denmark has driven down its number of successful asylum claims to a 40-year low.

Mahmood wants to reduce incentives for people seeking to enter the UK by tightening rules on family reunions, and make it easier to remove those found to have no right to stay.