UK small boat migrant sent back to France for 2nd time

LONDON

An Iranian man who crossed the Channel to the UK in a small boat has been sent back to France for the second time in less than two months.

According to British media reports, the man first arrived in the UK on Aug. 6 before being returned to France on Sept. 19.

He then made another attempt to reach the UK, arriving on Oct. 18, but has now been flown back again as part of the latest tranche of 19 returnees under the "one in, one out" agreement with France.

The Iranian man told The Guardian that he had been a victim of modern slavery at the hands of people smugglers in northern France.

Under the agreement, which took effect in August, 94 irregular migrants who arrived in the UK illegally on small boats have been removed.

In return, 57 approved asylum seekers have been brought to the UK. Although the UK has sent back more migrants than it has accepted, both countries have committed to exchanging an equal number of people in each direction.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said: "Anyone looking to return to the UK after being removed under the UK-France agreement is wasting their time and money. My message is clear: if you try to return to the UK, you will be sent back. I will do whatever it takes to scale up removals of illegal migrants and secure our borders."

The UK and France last summer reached a new migration deal aimed at curbing the number of people crossing the Channel in small boats, with a pilot scheme set to launch within weeks.

Under the "one in, one out" agreement, for every migrant who arrives illegally in the UK and is returned to France in short order, one other individual will be permitted to enter Britain through a safe and legal route—provided they have not previously attempted an illegal crossing.