Two more people deported under UK-France migrant returns deal

Two more people have been removed to France under the UK Government’s “one in, one out” deal, bringing the total to six so far.

An Afghan and a Somali were sent back to the continent on Thursday morning, it is understood.

Others deported last week were from Iran, Afghanistan, Eritrea and India.

The deal with France means people who arrive in the UK by small boat can be detained and returned across the Channel, in exchange for an equivalent number of people who applied and were approved through a safe and legal route.

The first people to arrive in the UK under the pilot scheme were a family of three, including a small child, on Wednesday.

Ministers agreed the pilot scheme with the French government in July as part of efforts to deter the record number of arrivals by small boat crossings.

More than 32,000 people have arrived in the UK after making the dangerous journey so far this year.

On Wednesday, the Home Office was refused permission to challenge a High Court ruling that granted an Eritrean man a temporary block on his deportation to France.

Last week, a judge granted the man 14 days to make representations to support his claim that he was a victim of modern slavery.

Elsewhere on Thursday, The Sun reported that an Afghan man who was granted asylum in the UK is being investigated after posting a series of videos returning to his home country for an “apparent” eight-week holiday last summer.

The newspaper reported that the refugee arrived in the country on a small boat in 2022.

Government rules state that those using a refugee travel card are usually allowed to travel to all countries, except the country they are from, or any country they sought asylum from.

A Home Office spokesman said: “Whilst we do not comment on individual cases, where there is evidence of someone holding protection status returning to their country of origin, it will trigger a review of their status.”