Channel Crossing Migrants to be Banned from Claiming Asylum

Crackdowns on Channel Crossings

In her first major speech as Home Secretary, Suella Braverman set out the new proposals at the Conservative party’s conference in Birmingham (October 2022).

The new plans feature a complete ban on anyone who has crossed the Channel illegally from claiming asylum in the UK, as well as plans to make it easier to deport them.

An estimated 33,500 people have already made the crossing from France into the UK so far this year.

“Chronic” Problems with Immigration

In her speech, Braverman stated that “We have got to stop the boats crossing the Channel. This has gone on far too long.”

“But I have to be straight with you: there are no quick fixes and the problem is chronic.”

She then went on to address immigrants directly, stating that “if you deliberately enter the United Kingdom illegally from a safe country, you should be swiftly returned to your home country or relocated to Rwanda. That is where your asylum claim will be considered.”

Braverman was quoted earlier in the week that she would “love to be here claiming victory, I would love to be having a front page of the Telegraph with a plane taking off to Rwanda, that’s my dream, that’s my obsession.”

Draws of Criticism from Campaigners

The latest news has drawn criticism from charities such as Care4Calais, which campaigns for migrant rights in the UK and France.

Clare Mosley, the founder of the charity, stated that the new plans were “barbaric and unnecessary”, going on to say that “if this government truly wanted to stop small boat crossings, it would offer safe passage to those who have a viable claim for asylum.”

Amnesty International UK’s refugee and migrant rights director, Steve Valdez-Symonds, also stated that the Government’s policies were “doing serious damage to the UK’s international reputation”.