A record 1,194 migrants crossed the English Channel in small boats from France on Saturday, marking the highest single-day influx this year and prompting UK Defence Secretary John Healey to declare Britain has "lost control of its borders."
Healey likened people-smuggling operations to "taxi services" during a Sunday interview (June 1), criticizing France's failure to intercept vessels in shallow waters. The surge comes despite a UK-France border agreement that increased interception rates to 38% this year – a 43% rise from 2023.
British officials are pressuring Paris to implement stricter maritime enforcement and accelerate new regulations. Saturday's crossings bring the 2024 total to over 12,000 arrivals, intensifying political tensions as both nations grapple with strained cooperation.
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