London, Sep 25 (IANS) A family of three has arrived in the UK as the first people under the government’s “one in, one out” agreement with France, the Home Office announced.
The arrival of the family, including a child, came after the removal of the first four migrants from the UK to France as part of the year-long scheme.
“This is a clear message to people-smuggling gangs that illegal entry into the UK will not be tolerated,” a Home Office spokesperson said on Wednesday (local time). “We will continue to detain and remove those who arrive by small boat.”
The “one in, one out” scheme was announced in July by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron during the latter’s state visit to Britain.
Under the treaty, migrants arriving in the UK via small boats will be detained and returned to France.
In exchange, Britain will accept the same number of individuals who arrive via a newly established legal route. Entry will be limited to those who meet strict eligibility criteria and have not previously attempted illegal crossings, reports Xinhua news agency.
Last week, an Indian national was the first person to be removed from the UK under the scheme, followed days later by three other people of other nationalities.
More than 30,000 people have crossed the English Channel in small boats so far this year, according to data from the Home Office. It remains unclear how many of them will be sent back and whether the new scheme will serve as a strong deterrent.
Illegal immigration is one of the hardest issues facing the British government, sparking a wave of protests across the country since the summer this year.
–IANS
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