First migrants detained before being returned to France as part of new 'one in, one out' deal
The first migrants who arrived in the UK after crossing the English Channel have been detained under the new “one in, one out” deal.
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The first detentions came as people arrived in Dover on Wednesday, the first day the pilot scheme came into force.
Pictures showed the migrants wearing life jackets disembarking from Border Force boats.
The Home Office said detentions began for those who arrived on Wednesday afternoon and they will be held in immigration removal centres until they are returned to France.
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It added the Home Office will make referrals to France within three days, with the French having 12 days to respond under the terms of the new deal.
Home secretary Yvette Cooper said: “Yesterday, under the terms of this groundbreaking new treaty, the first group of people to cross the Channel were detained after their arrival at Western Jet Foil and will now be held in detention until they can be returned to France.
"That sends a message to every migrant currently thinking of paying organised crime gangs to go to the UK that they will be risking their lives and throwing away their money if they get into a small boat.
“Criminal gangs have spent seven years embedding themselves along our border and it will take time to unravel them, but these detentions are an important step towards undermining their business model and unravelling the false promises they make.
"These are the early days for this pilot scheme, and it will develop over time. But we are on track to do what no other government has done since this crisis first started - sending small boat arrivals back to France and strengthening our borders through the Plan for Change.”
The deal, which has now been approved by the European Commission, means the UK will be able to send people crossing the Channel in small boats back to France in exchange for asylum seekers with ties to Britain.
It also means that anyone arriving in a small boat can be detained immediately, and space has been set aside at immigration removal centres in the expectation that detentions will begin within days.
The Prime Minister said the ratification of the treaty will “send a clear message – if you come here illegally on a small boat you will face being sent back to France”.
Ministers have so far declined to say how many people could be returned under the deal, and insist that if the pilot is successful the figure will increase.
Under the terms of the agreement, announced during French President Emmanuel Macron’s state visit last month, adults arriving on small boats will face being returned to France if their asylum claim is inadmissible.
In exchange, the same number of people will be able to come to the UK on a new legal route, provided they have not attempted a crossing before and subject to documentation and security checks.