The UK has seen a record-breaking 8,064 illegal migrant arrivals by small boat in the first four months of 2025, surpassing last year’s figure of 7,567 for the same period.
A single-day peak of 656 crossings was also recorded.
Critics blame Labour’s weak border enforcement, accusing the government of failing to dismantle smuggling gangs.
The Home Office insists it is committed to ending dangerous crossings, introducing new sanctions on boat suppliers and tighter cooperation with the marine sector.
Despite these measures, the rising figures underline the scale of the ongoing Channel migration crisis.
