The UK Department of Immigration has stated that human smugglers are giving false information to migrants about "the safe and easy way to reach the UK illegally" and that these claims do not reflect the truth.
Migrants, especially those trying to reach the UK by crossing the English Channel in small boats via France, face great risks.
Finally, a boat with 69 people, including 20 Kurdish migrants, was reported missing while trying to cross the English Channel on Sunday. The migrants were rescued by the French police and sent back to France.
The UK government has drawn attention to the dangers of illegal immigration, saying: "This journey is extremely risky and can even be deadly. Many women, men and children have lost their lives trying to reach the UK in small boats."
"If you come to the UK illegally, you could be detained and deported," the government's official website said in a warning in Kurdish.
Official migration data released
According to official figures from the UK government, at least 1,554 migrants have crossed the Channel in small boats to reach the UK since the beginning of 2024 alone.
While it was stated that a total of 36,816 illegal immigrants entered the country in 2024, it was announced that the highest wave of illegal immigration occurred in 2022 and 45,755 people came to the UK illegally that year.
According to data from the International Organization for Migration, 78 migrants lost their lives while trying to cross the English Channel in 2024.
It has been reported that most of the illegal immigrants coming to the UK are from Afghanistan, Syria, Iran, Vietnam and Eritrea, with these five countries accounting for 61 percent of the total illegal immigration.
Record increase in asylum applications
The UK Home Office announced that 108,130 people had requested asylum by the end of 2024.
It was noted that this figure was the highest number of applications since 1979.
The UK government has announced that illegal immigration is illegal and that people who come to the country this way can face up to four years in prison and deportation.
Government officials stated that they have increased inspections against smugglers and identified illegal immigrants and expelled them from the country.
Difficulties faced by immigrants
The British government also shared the stories of four Kurdish immigrants whose names it did not disclose.
One of these people said he paid a travel agent £16,000 to reach the UK, but five years later he still has not been able to repay the debt.
Authorities fighting against migrant smuggling said, "Human smugglers are guiding migrants on dangerous journeys by making false promises. The truth is, this journey is not safe at all."
British border guards said: "We must disrupt the activities of people smugglers who put migrants' lives at risk to make money for these people."
Authorities emphasized that many illegal immigrants set off on this dangerous journey in flimsy and unhealthy boats, and some even embarked on this dangerous journey without life jackets.
The UK has announced that they will continue to take tough measures to combat illegal immigration and will send back those who enter the country illegally.
