UK Government Intensifies Actions Against Migrant Smuggling

The UK government has announced new measures to combat the influx of asylum seekers arriving by small boats from France, focusing on dismantling smuggling gangs and increasing deportations. As part of these efforts, 100 new specialist intelligence and investigation officers will be recruited for the National Crime Agency (NCA). The Labour government aims to achieve the highest rate of deportations in five years, targeting over 14,000 failed asylum seekers by year's end. Additionally, they plan to enhance detention capacity and impose stricter penalties on employers hiring illegal workers. This initiative follows a significant rise in public concern over immigration, exacerbated by recent far-right riots. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has pledged to collaborate with French President Emmanuel Macron to better manage the surge in undocumented migrants.