Britain crashes migrant exchange scheme with France

The UK has officially ended a pilot programme to exchange migrants with France. According to the Associated Press, the British interior Ministry said that the agreement, which worked on the principle of “one for one”, no longer accepts new cases.

The mechanism envisaged the return to France of persons who illegally crossed the English Channel on small ships. In return, London accepted a similar number of asylum seekers who processed documents through safe and legal channels. The program was designed for three years, but allowed early termination.

During the period of the agreement, about 1,500 people returned from the UK to France. The number of migrants eligible for legal entry in reverse order was slightly lower. Despite the closure of the program for new entrants, deportation procedures already initiated will be completed in the coming weeks.

The decision was made against the background of a statistical decline in illegal activity. Since the beginning of 2026, about 19,000 people have overcome the English Channel, which is 40% less than in the same period last year. Authorities attributed the decline to increased patrols on the French coast.

The danger of the route was once again confirmed by a tragic incident. On Monday, a ten-year-old child and two women died on a crowded boat in a stampede.

Cooperation between London and Paris on migration remains challenging after Brexit 2020. The issue of illegal migration continues to be one of the most pressing issues in UK domestic politics, provoking protests and growing support for the right-wing Reform UK party.