Exclusive: Asylum Seekers Forcibly Returned to France Under Controversial Deal Smuggled Back to UK in Lorries
In a startling development that exposes significant flaws in the UK's immigration enforcement strategy, asylum seekers who were forcibly returned to France under the controversial "one in, one out" agreement have been smuggled back to the United Kingdom hidden in commercial lorries. The Guardian has exclusively learned that at least four individuals have successfully made this dangerous return journey within the last two weeks alone, highlighting the persistent power of smuggling networks and the limitations of current border control measures.
The 'One In, One Out' Policy and Its Unintended Consequences
The "one in, one out" scheme, a bilateral agreement between the UK and French governments, involves a direct exchange where one person who crosses the English Channel in a small boat is forcibly returned to France, while another asylum seeker in northern France is brought to the UK through legal channels. This policy was designed to deter dangerous Channel crossings and disrupt smuggling operations. However, evidence now suggests that smuggling networks have adapted their tactics to circumvent this arrangement, creating a dangerous cycle of forced returns and illegal re-entry.
According to detailed accounts obtained by the Guardian, two of the returnees arrived in separate lorries on March 5 and March 7, 2024. Both individuals are now back in UK detention centers, having been apprehended upon arrival. They reported being forcibly returned to the UK by smugglers who specifically targeted them near shelters in Paris where recently deported asylum seekers typically gather in their first days after removal from Britain.
Personal Accounts of Forced Return and Smuggler Control
One of the detained men provided a harrowing account of his experience, revealing the coercive tactics employed by smuggling networks. "The smugglers know where the shelter is in Paris where people sleep in the first few days after being returned to France," he explained. "They caught me near the shelter and sent me back to UK by force in a lorry. The smugglers have guns, they control everything, we have to try to stay alive."
The second detained individual reported a similar experience of being captured by smugglers near the Paris shelter and forced back to the UK in a lorry. Unlike his counterpart, he was not immediately apprehended upon arrival but voluntarily presented himself at a police station to declare his presence, after which he was detained. "I don't want to live illegally in any country," he stated. "I can't survive without documentation. France is not safe for me."
Two additional "one in, one out" returnees arrived in a lorry on March 12 as part of a larger group whose backgrounds remain unknown. These individuals are currently understood to be living under the radar in London, avoiding detection by authorities.
Historical Context and Evolving Smuggling Tactics
Prior to 2018, commercial lorries represented the primary method for asylum seekers crossing the English Channel. During that period, individuals typically presented themselves at police stations upon arrival to formally claim asylum. However, when security measures in northern France were significantly enhanced to prevent unauthorized boarding of lorries, smuggling networks pivoted to offering small boat crossings as an alternative route.
Recent developments indicate that smugglers are once again promoting lorry crossings as an alternative to dangerous small boat journeys, despite the latter remaining prevalent. Asylum seekers report that the cost for a lorry crossing has surged to three or four times the price of a dinghy crossing, reflecting both the increased difficulty and perceived value of this method. The Home Office currently conducts biometric screening and interviews for all small boat arrivals, but the resurgence of lorry crossings presents new detection challenges.
Human Rights Organizations Call for Policy Reevaluation
Steve Valdez-Symonds, programme director for refugee and migrant rights at Amnesty International UK, has called for the immediate abandonment of the "one in, one out" agreement. "Government efforts – including this agreement – to deter and stop people seeking asylum have instead entrenched the power of smuggling gangs over journeys that refugees need to make," he asserted. "If governments will not join in sharing responsibility for providing rather than attempting to deny asylum, that miserable situation will not change."
Valdez-Symonds further recommended that "the agreement should be abandoned and discussion opened with the French and other governments about establishing safe routes to enable refugees, especially those with family and other connection here, to reach this country with as little dependence on smugglers as can be made possible."
Home Office Response and Ongoing Challenges
A Home Office spokesperson defended the government's approach, stating: "France is our closest migration partner and through our joint work, 40,000 small boat crossing attempts have been stopped since this Government came into office. French maritime forces have agreed to intercept small boats on the water and our landmark agreement means those who arrive on small boats are now being sent back."
The spokesperson added regarding returnees: "Individuals who try to return are detected by biometrics, detained instantly and returned at the earliest opportunity, having wasted their time and money."
This development raises serious questions about the effectiveness of current immigration policies and the adaptability of smuggling networks. The forced returns and subsequent re-entries highlight the complex challenges facing both UK and French authorities as they attempt to manage migration flows while addressing humanitarian concerns and disrupting criminal enterprises that profit from vulnerable people's desperation.
