Four in 10 migrants will challenge 'one in, one out' deportation claiming to be slavery victims

This comes after the Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood pledged to fight last-minute challenges to deportation when the removal of a 25-year-old Eritrean was halted by a High Court injunction hours before his scheduled return to France, after he claimed to be a victim of modern slavery in September last year.

Ms Mahmood changed the legal guidance in September, denying migrants the right to have their modern slavery claim reconsidered whilst they were in the UK, despite already being rejected by the Home Office.

Since then, the Home Office has faced legal challenges of this nature from migrants, who are currently dealing with 16 asylum seekers attempting to block their deportation by utilising Britain’s modern slavery laws.

Now, appeals go through a judicial review which doesn’t necessarily have to take place in the UK and won’t block their deportation.

The Home Office aims to counter the legal challenges by arguing the number of migrants claiming they’ve been subject to modern slavery is beginning to undermine the Government’s “one in, one out” policy.

The returning of migrants who are not eligible to claim asylum is lawful, the Government maintains, as they’re being deported to a “safe” country who abides by international law, as well as the European Convention on Human Rights.

The migrants argue that France’s system places no responsibility on the state toward individuals who were trafficked outside the country and lack any other meaningful link to France.

Alex Norris, minister for border security and asylum said: “Last minute modern slavery claims must never be used to prevent the removal of illegal migrants.

“These cases are exactly why we are reforming our laws to stop these last-minute claims and restore order and control to our border.”

Last month, the Home Secretary admitted more people have arrived in the UK under the agreement with France, than have been returned.

She said 281 people have been sent back, whilst 350 have entered the country, meaning it is not currency a “one in, one out” policy, but a (approximately) 1.2 in, one out policy.

GB News presenter, Patrick Christys described the policy as a “farce” yesterday, arguing if the Government loses the court case, it would “scupper the already pathetic” deal with France.

Since February 8, 541 migrants have arrived in the UK on eight boats, according to the Home Office.

Since Labour’s election victory 19 months ago, approximately 66,244 migrants have crossed the Channel to reach the UK, at a weekly average of roughly 790.

This compares with 65,811 crossings recorded during Boris Johnson’s premiership.

Ms Mahmood said in Parliament last week that the impact of the Government’s actions would not be immediate and acknowledged there was no certainty that crossings would fall by next year.

She added that further reforms were being introduced to deter “asylum shopping” migrants.