Asylum Seekers Sneak Back in Lorries

0:00On March 19th, asylum seekers sent back to France under the UK's one-in-one out deal with that country are sneaking back across the channel in. Laurie's officials know of at least four who made the trip in the past two weeks, with two arriving on March 5th and March 7th now held in detention centers. Smugglers appear to be behind these returns, grabbing the returning near shelters in Paris and forcing them into Laurie's to undermine the agreement. The deal swaps one small boat arrival for a return to France, but these men say they had no choice, fearing for their lives amid armed gangs. The other two arrived on March 12th, with a bigger group, and are now living quietly in London, avoiding detection. Asylum seekers report Laurie's costs three or four times more than dingy trips, but Smugglers are pushing them as an option again after years of, tighter security in France. Before 2018, Laurie's were the main route for channel crossings, with people heading straight to police stations to claim asylum. Now, with biometrics catching repeat arrivals quickly, experts like those that amnesty international argue the deal just strengthens Smuggling Networks.

1:09Instead of solving the problem, home office officials point out joint efforts with France have stopped 40,000 small boat attempts since they took office, and they plan to. Keep detaining and returning anyone who tries again right away. This back and forth highlights the ongoing challenges in managing these risky journeys.