UK Continues Sending asylum seekers to France Despite Ended Scheme

The UK Home Office is still putting asylum seekers onto planes destined for France weeks after the controversial removal agreement officially ended on 1 October. Despite the termination of the arrangement, authorities continue to hold dozens of individuals in detention centers in preparation for forced deportations. Officials chartered a flight to France for a group believed to have arrived via small boats prior to the deadline, with another flight scheduled for later in November.

Deportations Continue for Remaining Cohort

Home Office sources confirmed that returns for the remaining cohort are proceeding even though the bilateral deal has concluded. Freedom of information figures indicate that roughly one-third of the arrangement's deportation flights were cancelled between July and September, representing more than double the cancellations recorded in the first half of the year. Advocates from organizations such as Medical Justice reported that vulnerable people remain locked up, facing the severe harm of immigration detention alongside the imminent prospect of removal to a country where many have faced violence from smugglers.

The UK continues deporting asylum seekers to France weeks after the removal scheme ended.

Originally launched in July 2025 by former prime minister Keir Starmer and French president Emmanuel Macron, the agreement aimed to deter small boat crossings by forcibly returning arrivals to France while bringing a similar number across legally. However, the initiative faced significant criticism for failing to curb crossings effectively and exposing participants to homelessness and abuse. Government data shows that removals under the policy have cost at least 78 million pounds. Meanwhile, several individuals who were previously sent across the Channel have already managed to return to the UK to have their claims processed, while others wait in northern French camps for another crossing opportunity.

Why it matters

The ongoing deportations highlight the persistent operational challenges and heavy financial costs associated with cross-border migration enforcement between the UK and France. As hundreds of individuals continue to wait along the French coast for a chance to cross the Channel, the continuation of these flights demonstrates that discontinued bilateral frameworks still impact vulnerable populations and administrative processes in both nations.