A Kurdish Syrian asylum seeker who was returned to France under the UK’s controversial “one in, one out” scheme now faces deportation to Syria after French authorities rejected his asylum claim, deeming Syria safe for his return. This is believed to be the first such case since the agreement was announced in July 2025.
Background of the Agreement
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron hailed the deal as “groundbreaking” when it was unveiled. The arrangement involves forcibly returning one small-boat asylum seeker to France in exchange for legally bringing one person from northern France to the UK. Both leaders stressed that France is a safe country for returnees.
The Asylum Seeker’s Story
The 26-year-old Kurdish man from Syria arrived in the UK on a small boat and was sent back to France last November. He fled Syria after being targeted for forced conscription by the YPG militia. “I didn’t want to go to war and kill people,” he explained. During his journey, smugglers separated him from his family, and he has not been able to contact them since.
His asylum interview in France lasted just over two hours, with much of the time spent questioning whether he actually lived in the village he claimed. The rejection letter stated that he “has not presented any relevant arguments that would convince the office that his personal circumstances would pose a serious and individual threat to his life or person should he return to his country.”
Controversy and Criticism
Syria is not on the EU’s updated list of safe countries for asylum returns, raising concerns about the validity of France’s decision. Immigration solicitor Sonia Lenegan commented: “This case is an example of the real risk involved in returning people to France. Most people who cross the Channel are refugees, meaning the UK accepts they face danger at home. By returning them to France, the UK puts them at risk of being sent back to persecution, violating the refugee convention.”
The Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants has launched a letter-writing campaign against airlines involved in the removals, with over 6,500 people urging them to stop participating in what they call “inhumane and racist” deportations.
Official Responses
A Home Office spokesperson stated: “Under our returns agreement with France, we have deported more than 600 illegal migrants from British soil. This contributes to the nearly 60,000 illegal migrants returned since July 2025, up 31% on the 19 months prior.” Home Office sources added that Syrian asylum seekers whose claims are rejected would face return if safe, and the government is working with Syrian authorities to facilitate this, but no one would be returned if at risk of persecution.
France’s interior ministry has been approached for comment. The man, now in limbo, said: “I am the first asylum seeker returned to France to receive this rejection. If I return to the UK on a small boat, the Home Office will catch me. If I go back to Syria, the YPG militia will get me. What should I do?”
