France rejected a significant number of migrants whom the UK sought to deport under a "one in, one out" agreement, often without providing reasons, according to a report.
John Tuckett, the UK's Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration, found that French counterparts rejected candidates without explaining the criteria used, leading to "frustration" among UK Home Office officials. Refusal rates sometimes reached as high as 50 percent, which "had a significant impact on the numbers that could be removed to France."
The report suggests that a lack of transparency from French officials limited the effectiveness of the referral process. UK caseworkers reportedly received "binary yes/no responses without sufficient explanation to identify consistent patterns in what drove those decisions."
The "one in, one out" scheme was established between the UK and France last summer but officially expired last month. Between August 2025 and June 30, 2026, 1,087 migrants were returned to France under the deal, while the UK accepted 1,117 in return. During the same period, nearly 28,000 migrants arrived in the UK on small boats.
Some senior staff in France reportedly viewed the issue of small boat crossings as affecting the UK more directly, with indications that French partners were also focused on broader, Europe-wide returns discussions. Paris has historically favored an EU-wide initiative for migrant returns.
Despite challenges, around 100 judicial reviews lodged by groups and lawyers against the scheme were defeated, largely because France is considered a safe country. However, the report highlights that greater engagement and clearer communication between the UK and France could have improved the scheme's outcomes.