London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, May 11, 2025

Fewer than 100 migrants arrested for arriving in UK illegally

Fewer than 100 migrants arrested for arriving in UK illegally

Fewer than 100 people who crossed the English Channel in small boats have been arrested for arriving illegally in the UK under a new power to deter them.

The figure represents 0.3% of those who have crossed since the law was changed.

Under the new law, anyone who arrives in the UK without proper permission or good reason commits a crime that can lead to up to four years in prison.

The BBC sought the figure under freedom of information laws after the Home Office declined to disclose it.

A spokesman for the department said there has been a further 180 arrests since the summer under different immigration laws.

The new offence of knowingly arriving without permission was part of a package of measures in the Home Office's Nationality and Borders Act, passed earlier this year.

Its creation coincided with ministers increasingly referring to illegal migrants crossing the Channel - a claim hotly disputed by refugee groups. They say the term is misleading and fails to acknowledge the complex reasons for crossings and the legal right to seek protection.

The government had said the law would deter migrants from risking their lives and help to secure the country's borders.

In November, the BBC asked the Home Office how many of the migrants were suspected of arriving illegally under this new offence.

It refused to say - but has now disclosed the figures following a Freedom of Information request.

The new offence came into force on 28 June.

That means anyone turning up in Kent after that date could in theory face arrest and prosecution for illegal arrival.

Between then and mid-November, when we asked for the figures, approximately 29,400 people arrived in small boats.

Of those, the Home Office has now confirmed that:

* 96 were arrested on suspicion of committing the new crime of illegal arrival - 0.3% of the total.

* Some 78 were later charged with the crime

* So far, 56 of them have been convicted.


New crime to 'deter' migrants


During the law's passage through Parliament, ministers told MPs that the new crime would "deter migrants from risking their lives" and help to take back control of the borders.

At the same time, Parliament was told the new crime would not target people who were "genuine refugees" - and over the course of the year almost 90% of those who have arrived have sought asylum.

A spokesman for the Home Office said the new illegal arrival offence was just one important tool to combat people smugglers.

"Our Nationality and Borders Act is beginning to break through this exploitative business model, with more than 280 people already arrested since it became law.

"The figures referenced only detail those arrested for illegal arrival not illegal entry or anyone arrested for a breach of a deportation order under the new act."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Trump fires director of U.S. Copyright Office, sources say
Retired British police officer arrested over ‘thought crime’ tweet
Cardinal Robert Prevost Elected as Pope Leo XIV, Marking a Historic Papacy
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka Arrested at ICE Facility Amid Congressional Visit
India-Pakistan conflict may be first test for Chinese military tech
Bill Gates Announces Plan to Wind Down Philanthropic Foundation and Disperse Wealth
Historic Papal Conclave Set to Commence in Rome
Huge Copper, Gold, and Silver Discovery in Argentina and Chile — But the Profits Go Abroad
Prince Harry is pleading for reconciliation — but the royals are just as sick of his victimhood as everyone else
The Road to Freedom: She Protested Putin, Escaped House Arrest, and Survived a 2,800-Kilometer Journey
OpenAI's Flip-Flop: No Longer Going Commercial, Back to Nonprofit, After Musk Lawsuit and Backlash
“Trump Supporter” Aims to Bring a MAGA-Style Shift to Romania
First From China: Zhao Xintong Wins the Snooker World Championship
Nvidia Faces Billion-Dollar Losses – Warns: China Is on Its Way to Becoming an AI Superpower
Trump Rules Out Third Term, Names JD Vance and Marco Rubio as Potential Successors
Mexico Says ‘No’ to U.S. Troops: President Sheinbaum Rejects Trump’s Offer to Fight Cartels
Nigel Farage’s Reform UK Storms the Map, Wrecking the Two-Party Monopoly
DOGE: Reimagining Government Operations with AI
Common Sense Returns to Britain's Legal System: UK Supreme Court Declares a Woman Is… a Woman
Beijing Says U.S. Is ‘Reaching Out’ for Tariff Talks Amid Soaring Trade Tensions
U.K. Court Rejects Prince Harry’s Final Appeal Over Police Security
Prince Harry’s Heartfelt Outburst Rocks the Royal Family
Trump Shares AI-Generated Image of Himself as… Pope, Prompting Outrage Reaction
Transgender Swimmer Secures Five Gold Medals at U.S. Masters Championship
Prince Harry: “I Want Reconciliation with My Family”
Germany's Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party has now been officially labeled “right-wing extremist” by the federal office for the so-called “protection of the constitution.”
Amazon Launches Satellite Internet Service Amidst Competition with SpaceX
Transformative Changes in Women's Wrestling: The Rise of WWE Superstars
The Rush to the White Gold: Global Investment Surge in Natural Hydrogen Exploration
This is a day in Spain without electricity and internet
Reform UK Surprises in British Elections, Challenging Traditional Two-Party System
180-Year-Old Christian University in South Carolina Announces Closure Due to Unmet $6 Million Fundraising Goal
Brazilian Woman Jailed for Fourteen Years for Writing “You Lost, Idiot” on Statue During Protest
Trump Administration Removes National Security Adviser Mike Waltz Amid Signal Chat Controversy
Dutch Politician Eva Vlaardingerbroek Receives Spyware Threat Alert from Apple
Paramount Board Considers Settlement in Trump’s $20 Billion Lawsuit Over "60 Minutes" Interview
U.S. Economy Shrink in Trump’s First Quarter as Tariff Policy Raises Questions
Deadline Looms for RTS Meter Replacement: Hundreds of Thousands at Risk of Heating Disruption
Sweden Grapples with Deadly Gun Violence: Suspect Arrested After Three Young Men Killed in Uppsala Hair Salon
Walz Reveals Why Harris Chose Him as Her Running Mate and Reflects on Democratic Losses
Spain Restores Power After Unprecedented Nationwide Blackout
Carney Secures Liberal Mandate in Canada’s Federal Election
Death Penalty Sought as Luigi Manion Pleads Not Guilty in CEO Murder Case
President Trump contacts Jeff Bezos after reports of Amazon considering listing tariff surcharges; company clarifies no such plan for main platform
Spain and Portugal Recover from Massive Blackout
Liverpool Clinches Record-Equalling 20th English League Title Under Arne Slot
Singapore Politicians Warn Against Foreign Interference in Election
Driver Ploughs into Vancouver Festival Crowd, Killing Nine
Depression, Fear of Defamation, and a Tragic End: New Details on Virginia Giuffre’s Suicide
“Sharia for UK, Allah Akbar!”
×