Migrant Channel Crossings Pass 20,000 Record First Half 2025

The number of migrants crossing the English Channel to the UK in small boats has set a new record in the first half of 2025, surpassing 20,000 arrivals for the first time since data collection began in 2018. This figure represents a 48% increase from the same period in 2024 and a 75% rise compared to 2023, with daily arrivals reaching as high as 1,195 people. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's government is under intense pressure to address the surge, pledging to 'smash the criminal boat gangs' and exploring plans for overseas 'return hubs' to process refused asylum seekers. Conservatives criticize Labour for scrapping the previous government's plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda, arguing this removal deterrent would reduce crossings, with Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp warning that the situation has become a 'free-for-all.' The government emphasizes the need for international cooperation, including increased patrols with French authorities and new drone surveillance efforts, to combat industrial-scale smuggling operations. Meanwhile, the rise in crossings has bolstered anti-immigration parties like Reform UK, reflecting growing public frustration over the issue.