00:00British border authorities have detained the first group of migrants under a pilot plan that will send some who crossed the English Channel on small boats back to France.
00:11According to the UK Home Office, the migrants were detained on Wednesday, the day the programme came into force,
00:18and will be held at immigration removal centres until they are returned to France.
00:24The groundbreaking principle here is that people can be returned to France if they arrive on these dangerous and illegal small boats.
00:32In return, we will take people who have applied legally through a legal process, been through security checks,
00:38but we should be returning people who have made these illegal crossings.
00:42UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron announced a deal last month.
00:48While the pilot involves a limited number of people, UK officials suggest the deal is a breakthrough because it sets a precedent.
00:58However, critics say the programme will do little to deter migrants because the numbers returned to France are small
01:05and lupos will allow people who enter Britain illegally to remain as they pursue human rights claims.
Comments