Multiple reports indicate that French police stood idly by as migrants scrambled onto the dinghy, which included families with young children. The UK has provided France with £700 million to bolster police patrols, increase surveillance, and purchase drones to stop Channel migrant crossings. French officers are now intercepting only a third of crossing attempts, down from 50% when a £475 million deal was struck.
On April 1, two migrants died after attempting to cross the Channel in an overcrowded boat, with French police later confirming that a man from Sudan and another from Afghanistan had perished. A court heard that authorities refused to intercept the small boat because it was too full. Recent crossings continue, with 137 migrants arriving on two small boats on Tuesday and 325 asylum seekers making the dangerous journey on five dinghies last week.
British officials are traveling to France to try and persuade single male migrants that the UK is no longer an 'Eldorado' of cash hand-outs and free homes, as many migrants believe they will get cash and a free house in the UK. More than 90% of migrants continue their journey to England despite these efforts. 2 million cheque to extend the current deal with Paris.
The UK is returning 30 migrants a week and accepting 40-50 a week, resulting in net migration going up, and the UK can only detain 75 new arrivals. British and French officials are still developing their tactics, which could be rolled out more widely in the future. There are growing frustrations within Border Force over Keir Starmer's 'one-in-one-out' deal with Emmanuel Macron, with some Border Force officers believing the deal isn't a deterrent.