The UK government has deported a Channel migrant back to France for a second time after he illegally re-entered the country by small boat, marking an early test of the new UK-France migration deal.
According to reports, the asylum seeker believed to be from Iran was initially removed to France on September 19, one of the first deportations under the “one-in-one-out” migration agreement signed between Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron. However, the man reportedly returned to the UK on October 18 aboard another small boat.
UK Interior Minister Shabana Mahmood confirmed the deportation, stating that the individual had been detected through biometric checks and detained immediately.
“His case was expedited, and now he has been removed again,” Mahmood said. “Anyone looking to return to the UK after being removed under the UK-France agreement is wasting their time and money.”
The agreement, which came into effect in September 2025, allows Britain to deport migrants who do not have the right to remain while accepting an equal number of vulnerable asylum seekers from France. Priority is given to those most at risk from smugglers and individuals with existing ties to the UK.
So far, 94 migrants have been deported under the treaty, while 57 have arrived in Britain through the official channel.
Despite government optimism, the scheme has drawn sharp criticism. Migrants’ rights groups have condemned it as unfair and inhumane, while opposition politicians have dismissed it as ineffective in reducing small boat crossings.
Nearly 37,000 migrants have crossed the English Channel to Britain so far this year, already surpassing 2024’s total and putting 2025 on track to be the second highest year on record for such crossings, behind 2022’s record 45,774 arrivals.
The incident underscores the persistent challenges facing both London and Paris in addressing irregular migration across the Channel.
