Labour tries new tactic to remove most difficult Channel migrants - but few return home

Migrants from some of the biggest Channel-crossing cohorts are among the largest groups being returned to France, the Sunday Express can reveal.

Some 128 Afghans have been booted out of the UK in the past year, new Home Office figures showed. But as the Express has revealed previously, only 14 have been sent back to Afghanistan since 2018.

And Home Office sources have confirmed that Afghans are among the largest cohorts to be deported to Paris under Keir Starmer's one-in, one-out deal with Emmanuel Macron. A similar picture emerges for Eritreans, 92, and Syrians, 93.

Previously, only 61 small boat arrivals from these countries have been removed since crossings began.

The Border Security Minister, Alex Norris, told the Express that Labour will use the much-maligned one-in-one-out deal with France to "ramp up" removals.

He said: "We are finally restoring order and control to our immigration system. Removals and deportations of illegal migrants have reachedtheir highest levelsin nearly a decade - and the number of small boat migrants removed is at record levels.

"Sincecoming intopower, we haveremoved and deported67,000illegal migrants and foreign criminals- an increaseof 41%.

"And thanks to our landmark deal with France, we're ramping up returns to ensure those who arrive on a small boat are sent straight back.

"These figures are down to this Government stepping up enforcement to ensure our system is fair and our borders are secure.

"And while we are making significant strides, we will continue to go further and faster.

"Thatiswhy we are introducing sweeping changes to fix our broken appeals system, proposing sanctions on countries who refuse to take back their citizens and reforming the legal system to ramp up removals further.

"My message is clear: if you come to Britain illegally, you will not be allowed to stay."

Home Office figures published on Thursday showed how tiny numbers of small boat migrants are being deported.

Just 2,750 were removed in the year to March.

And over half - 1,455 - of these were returns to Albania. Some 246 Turkish nationals were removed, along with 174 Iraqis, 128 Afghans, 117 Vietnamese arrivals, 93 Syrians, 92 Eritreans, 72 Indians, 64 Georgians and 63 Iranians.

The statistics also offered an insight into how immigration chiefs are trying to tackle the cohorts hardest to remove.

An Express investigation this month revealed a staggering 96,002 asylum seekers from Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq and Eritrea have arrived in small boats between 2018 and 2025.

But only 495 - 0.5% - have been sent back to these countries in seven years.

And more migrants had been returned to Ireland than Syria, due to the Government's refusal to talk to the former dictator Bashar al-Assad.

However, removals to Syria increased to 55 in 2025, indicating more are likely this year as well.

Home Office chiefs will hope it could provide some sort of deterrent, which many people do not currently believe exists.

The Home Office is overhauling the appeals process in a bid to prevent migrants from making numerous human rights claims to frustrate their removals.

Ms Mahmood has announced plans to limit each claimant to one submission challenging the initial decision.

A new independent appeals body overseen by the Home Office will replace the current system of judges sitting in immigration and asylum tribunals. This will give officials control of listings and hearings.

Home Office statistics published on Thursday revealed some 80,000 migrants were still waiting to have their appeals heard.

The average wait time for a tribunal is 63 weeks, the Home Office said.