Illegal Boat Migrant Crossings Hit Highest Monthly Total for the Year

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As people-smuggling efforts increased during warmer weather, illegal migrant crossings of the English Channel have reached their highest monthly totals for the year.

According to ITV News analysis, 3,136 illegal migrants arrived in 76 boats on British shores in June. This is the highest number of illegal migrants arriving in one month this year.

June’s crossings bring the total number of known crossings for the year up to 12,690. This is more than five times as many as had crossed at this time in 2020 (2,493) or twice the number recorded in the first six months of last year (5.917).

The English Channel crossings from France usually increase during the autumn and late summer amid calmer waterway conditions. Last November saw 6,971 migrants ashore.

Although the pace of boat landings is expected to reach the predicted 65,000 migrants by the end of the year, some warn that up to 100,000 could arrive in Britain. This compares to the 28,526 in 2021 and 8,466 in 2020, 1,843 for 2019, and 299 in 2018.

In order to deter the dangerous people-smuggling trade on the Channel, the government had earlier announced that illegal boat migrants would be sent to Rwanda to prevent them from entering the country.

However, the scheme is not yet in place. A flight was stopped last month by the European Court of Human Rights, which the United Kingdom still has to because it is technically a separate entity from the European Union (EU). This means that Brexit is unlikely to affect the country.

The government responded by proposing legislation in the upcoming British Bill of Rights that would allow British courts to decide on migrant removals. However, this bill will not be implemented until late in the year. Given the past history of British judges supporting migrants, it remains to be seen if the government can convince British judges to deport illegal aliens.

The government reached an agreement with Nigeria this week regarding the return of foreign criminals. On Thursday, thirteen Nigerians were deported to their homeland along with eight Ghanaian criminals.

Already, the British government has signed agreements with India, Serbia, and Albania. Combining Nigeria and Albania, these nationalities make up more than a tenth of the number of foreign prisoners in Britain.

The Home Office under Priti pate has a terrible record of deporting illegals. Only 956 criminals were expelled from the country last year, a drop of 13% over 2019.