Priti Patel will meet with France in crisis this week to discuss plans for preventing every immigrant from crossing the Channel.
The Home Secretary’s plan to turn back migrant boats is not being implemented by border force and Ms Patel is set to meet the French interior minister, Gerald Darmanin, this week to begin crisis talks and find a ‘shared solution’.
Last week, a record 1,185 migrants crossed the Channel yesterday and three who fell from kayaks are feared dead.
Priti Patel has been invited to France for crisis talks this week, in an effort to accelerate plans to catch every immigrant who crosses the Channel.
This year, more than 22300 migrants crossed the Atlantic by boat – an increase of 8,400 in last year.
According to The Telegraph, 99 of 1,284 migrants who attempted to cross the Channel to reach the UK were intercepted by the French on Thursday.
Clandestine channel threat commander Dan O’Mahoney said: ‘These journeys are illegal, dangerous, unnecessary and facilitated by violent criminal gangs profiting from misery, and we have seen again this week that they can lead to tragic consequences.
‘We are working with the French to stop boats leaving their beaches and crack down on the criminals driving these crossings.
‘People should claim asylum in the first safe country they reach. The Government’s New Plan for Immigration will fix the system, making it firm on those who abuse it and fair on those in genuine need.’
According to the Times, Priti Patel made public her plans to return migrants to Tory conferences last month. She had received legal advice.
Border Force refused to accept Ms Patel’s new strategy. They cited weather-related objections and the possibility of large boats being intercepted.
OOfficials stated that they don’t believe the policy would be implemented due to the conditions required and lack of support from the agency.
An officer from the Border Force stated that there was a general consensus that such a thing is unlikely to happen.
A Border Force officer stated that there was a consensus among the officers about this not happening. “The cutter captains are in control and if they don’t want to, this will not happen.” Pictured here: Border Force officers help migrants reach shore.
“The cutter captains control the entire process. In practice it is impossible for them to refuse to use it.
According to an official, the Home Secretary won’t be able “to push about” the force but that it will remain in the hands of the captains.
According to an ally of Ms Patel, a Conservative MP stated that Priti was determined to prevent boat crossings, regardless what the unionized officials might say.
Lucy Moreton of the Immigration Services Union represents border force staff on the frontline. She said that the risks of people being killed made it unlikely these tactics would ever be employed.
Ms. Moreton stated that safety at sea was paramount, and she said pushback can’t be used to help a boat in danger. The vulnerability of small boats is greater.
According to her, the French cannot receive a vessel that is in distress from the French force and will not cooperate because they don’t believe it’s legal.
Pictured: The dangerous crossing of the channel by migrants brings them to Dover.
After the approval of the prime minister at September’s end, the turnback powers can be applied.
Border Force was seen practicing this tactic off Dover, which involves three jet skis around a boat carrying migrants and then directing it to France.
This tactic is only allowed in Channel sections that are at least 1.8 miles long. Commanders can agree to this procedure only if they can confirm that an French rescue or navy can transport the boat back.
Safety rules also need to be followed, including the weather and sea conditions as well as size requirements for boats.
When similar tactics were being used in Australia and Greece, migrants attempted to leap overboard to get authorities to rescue them.
Matthew Rycroft, Ms Patel’s permanent secretary, was frustrating to her.
He stated to MPs, in September, that Border Force would return a few migrant boats but that the plan would not be widely used due to rules.
While the Prime Minister, at 57, supported the Government’s immigration policy, the President of France, at 43, attacked him. He said that France must close their borders in order to keep migrants from crossing the English Channel and reaching the UK.
At a Sidcup and Old Bexley vaccination center, Johnson criticized Emmanuel Macron’s (pictured) government for failing to police their beaches. He also argued that it was difficult for the UK Border Force turn back migrants safely at sea.
The Prime Minister, 57 years old, criticized Emmanuel Macron’s Government’s inability to police beaches to deter migrants from arriving to Britain by small boats. He also argued that the UK Border Force is unable to safely turn back migrants into the English Channel.
Johnson, speaking at Sidcup, a south-east London vaccination center, insisted the UK was handling the crisis of migrants in the best way. Johnson called upon France to close their borders and halt the flow of migrants who are trying to sail across the Channel to the UK.
Sky News reported that he said: “They are coming out of France.” If the French authorities are unable to control these departures, it will be very difficult for us turn them around at sea. It’s difficult to make that happen in a safe, humane manner.
“You must work with French people and convince them that they should police beaches where these people are being sent to you.”