The number of foreign nationals who illegally crossed the English Channel into the United Kingdom in 2024 has increased by 25% compared to 2023. According to data from the Kingdom's Ministry of Internal Affairs, this figure has increased from 29,400 to 36,800 people.
2022 was a record year, when 45,800 foreigners made the dangerous journey across the channel in inflatable boats. In total, 150,000 illegal migrants have crossed from France to the United Kingdom since the beginning of 2018, hoping to be granted asylum. More than 300 people have died trying to reach British shores in six years, 77 by 2024.
“The criminal gangs that smuggle people into the UK do not care whether the vulnerable people they exploit die or live. The main thing for the criminals is to get money”, the Home Office said in a statement. “We will stop at nothing to stop their activities and bring them to justice”.
The problem of illegal migration has worsened in the UK since leaving the EU, although this aspect was one of the main reasons for Brexit. The Labour government, formed after the general election on 4 July last year, has pledged to step up cooperation with EU and Middle Eastern countries to stem the flow of illegal immigrants seeking to enter the kingdom.
Having abandoned the Conservative government's plan to send illegal immigrants to Rwanda, Labour has yet to present its own plan to address the problem. In September 2024, the Home Office announced it would allocate $100m to strengthen border security and improve measures to counter criminal groups that smuggle illegal immigrants.