UK Scraps Pilot Program With France to Curb Migrant Channel Crossings

The United Kingdom has discontinued a pilot program with France aimed at reducing the number of migrants crossing the English Channel in small boats, the U.K. government announced Wednesday.

The Home Office stated that the initiative, often referred to as the “one in, one out” deal, is “no longer processing new cases.” Under the program, individuals arriving in the U.K. via dangerous small boat crossings could be detained and sent back to France. In return, an equivalent number of asylum seekers who applied through safe and legal channels would be permitted to enter the U.K.

According to Home Office data, between August 2025 and June 2026, approximately 1,117 asylum seekers arrived in the U.K. from France as part of the agreement, while 1,087 individuals were deported. The deal was initially planned for a three-year duration but included a clause allowing either party to end it earlier.

"We continue to work with France to relentlessly tackle small boat crossings, and we’ve made real progress," the Home Office said in a statement. Despite the program ceasing new case processing, deportation flights are expected to continue in the coming weeks for those already detained.

The number of migrant crossings has significantly decreased this year, a trend attributed to various factors including increased police patrols and enhanced surveillance in northern France. The perilous nature of these journeys was underscored earlier this week when a 10-year-old child and two women reportedly died after being trampled on a boat carrying over 100 people.