English Channel migrant crossings (2018–present)

539 refugees and migrants are documented to have "tried to reach Britain on small boats" in 2018; many, however, were intercepted and returned to France.[9] 434 migrants are known to have made the crossing in small boats in October, November and December of 2018,[10] 100 in November of 2018,[7] 230 in December.[10][11]

Following the surge in migrant crossing incidents in November and December, on 28 December 2018 the UK Home secretary declared a major incident regarding refugees attempting to cross the channel.[4]

227 refugees and migrants were intercepted and returned to the continent by French authorities in 2018, "at least" 95 refugees and migrants in December alone.[3][10]

By way of comparison, 26,547 asylum claims were filed by would be refugees in the UK in 2017.[10]

During the course of 2019, almost 1,900 had made the crossing by the end of the year.[12] From July to December 2019, an average of approximately 200 'migrants' made the crossing per month.[13]

In April 2020, boat arrivals for that month was over 400 - the highest monthly total ever recorded.[13]

In July, the number of people crossing almost matched the combined total of May and June, with more migrants encouraged by good weather and calm seas.[14]

In August, it was reported that in 2020 so far almost 4,000 people had crossed the Channel illegally, using at least 300 small boats. On 6 August a record number of migrants arrived, at least 235.[15] It has also been observed that while it was originally mostly men that were arriving, young children and pregnant women and babies are now often among those arriving.[16]

The total number of migrants recorded to have crossed into the UK so far in 2020 was 3,948 as of 7 August.[17]

According to analysis by PA Media, the number of migrants reaching the UK shore has gone beyond 4,100 people in 2020. The Home Office confirmed that 151 migrants came ashore on 8 August. French authorities claimed that in the first six months of 2020, the number of migrants crossing the English Channel increased by five times, as compared to the last year.[18]

On 19 August a Sudanese boy, Abdulfatah Hamdallah, drowned in the Channel making the journey from France. He died after his and his friend's inflatable dinghy, which they were powering using shovels as oars, capsized. While his companion and British news media claimed he was 16 years old,[19][20] Boulogne-Sur-Mer's deputy public prosecutor Philippe Sabatier said a travel document provided by Mr Hamdallah gave his age as 28. The pair had previously been living in the Calais Jungle for at least two months prior.[21]

By 20 October, the total number of crossings in 2020 reached 7,294.[22]

The refugees making the small boat crossings are coming disproportionately from Iran.[6][23][24]

Home Secretary Sajid Javid cut short a family holiday to deal with the small boat crossings.[3][4][29] On 31 December Javid reversed a previous refusal to station additional Border Force cutters in the Channel to intercept migrant smallcraft on the grounds that the cutters would become a "magnet" for migrants to attempt the crossing in the hope that their boats would be intercepted and enabled to apply for asylum. In agreeing to send more patrol boats, Javid promised to do "everything we can" to make sure that small boat migration "is not a success", including returning would-be migrants to France.[29] Cutters are en route from Gibraltar and the Mediterranean to carry out the channel mission.[29]

Javid has stated that migrants crossing the Channel from France are not "genuine" asylum seekers, since they are already residing in a safe country.[30]

In response to the increase in arrivals due to calm seas in July and August 2020,[14] Javid's successor as Home Secretary, Priti Patel, was reportedly "furious" and responded by saying she planned to make the English Channel an "unviable" route into the UK. She has sought military assistance from the Royal Navy to prevent migrant vessels from leaving France.[16][31]

On 10 August Prime Minister Boris Johnson made a statement:

There's no doubt that it would be helpful if we could work with our French friends to stop them getting over the Channel. Be in no doubt, what's going on is the activity of cruel and criminal gangs who are risking the lives of these people taking them across the Channel, a pretty dangerous stretch of water, in potentially unseaworthy vessels. We want to stop that, working with the French, make sure that they understand that this isn't a good idea, this is a very bad and stupid and dangerous and criminal thing to do. But then there's a second thing we've got to do, and that is to look at the legal framework that we have that means that when people do get here, it is very, very difficult to then send them away again, even though blatantly they've come here illegally.[32][33]

On 7 September 2020, the UK government deployed sophisticated military unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) to patrol the English Channel, ending a surge in crossings committed by illegal migrants to reach its shores. The drones will relay information to both, French and British border authorities, who can then intercept the crossings.[34]

According to a poll conducted by YouGov, 73% of Britons considered the crossings to be a serious issue. Conservative voters were most concerned about the recent trend in illegal entry with 97%, whereas Labour voters were least concerned, with 49%.[35]

After Abdulfatah Hamdallah drowned and washed up on French shores near Calais, French National Assembly member Pierre-Henri Dumont blamed the UK government for the death because of their refusal to accept asylum claims from outside the country. He also stated that migrants in Calais "do not want to seek asylum in France" and "refuse state support", preferring to "risk their lives" in rafts.[36]

In late 2019, it was report that Members of the far-right group Britain First were patrolling beaches to "catch migrants crossing".[37]

For Britain leader Anne Marie Waters suggested during a protest outside a hotel housing asylum seekers that the government's priority should be to house some of the 13,000 homeless British war veterans instead of people entering the country illegally.[38]

Ice cream manufacturers Ben & Jerry's took to Twitter to criticise the Home Office's approach to the crossings, tweeting:

Hey @PritiPatel we think the real crisis is our lack of humanity for people fleeing war, climate change and torture. We pulled together a thread for you.. People wouldn't make dangerous journeys if that had any other choice. The UK hasn't resettled any refugees since March, but wars and violence continue. What we need is more safe and legal routes[39]

Foreign Office minister James Cleverly responded by tweeting:

Can I have a large scoop of statistically inaccurate virtue signaling with my grossly overpriced ice cream, please?[40]