UK Returns Iranian Migrant to France for Second Time
An Iranian man who crossed the English Channel twice in a small boat has been returned to France again under the UK-France returns pact, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced on Wednesday.
The man was first deported to France on September 19 after arriving in the UK in August, but re-entered Britain on October 18 and claimed asylum, alleging he was a victim of modern slavery, British media reported.
He was identified through biometric checks, detained, and placed on a return flight to France this week.
“This individual was detected by biometrics and detained instantly. His case was expedited, and now he has been removed again,” Mahmood said. “If you try to return to the UK you will be sent back. I will do whatever it takes to scale up removals of illegal migrants and secure our borders.”
Lawyers for the man argued he was vulnerable and feared violence from smugglers in northern France, but the Home Office rejected his trafficking claim in October. The Guardian reported he was placed under hourly welfare checks in detention due to concerns about his mental health.
The man told the newspaper he returned to the UK because he feared for his life in France:
“If I thought France was a safe place for me I would never have come to the UK.”
Under the “one in, one out” agreement between the UK and France, 94 people have been returned from Britain to France, while 57 have been legally accepted from France after security and eligibility checks.
Summary: The UK continues to enforce the returns pact with France, swiftly deporting migrants who re-enter illegally, despite their safety concerns.