The so-called "hokey-cokey" migrant who returned to the UK after being deported as part of the "one in, one out" scheme is still in the country, Downing Street has confirmed.
The Iranian national arrived on British shores in a dinghy on August 6 and was detained under the new scheme.
And while he was deported back to France on September 19, just 29 days later he arrived back in Britain after paying for another spot on a migrant dinghy.
Returning on October 18, it means the man has now been back in the UK for 17 days without being deported. He has been held in an immigration removal centre.
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A Government source had told GB News some five days ago: "We expect his removal in the coming days. This return has to go through a process agreed with the French which is being expedited."
The illegal migrant claimed to have been a victim of modern slavery by smuggling gangs in France, according to The Guardian.
"They took me like a worthless object, forced me to work, abused me, and threatened me with a gun and told me I would be killed if I made the slightest protest," he told the paper.
It is possible that human rights lawyers have intervened in order to challenge attempts to deport the migrant.
The so-called 'hokey cokey' migrant has now arrived on British shores on a dinghy on two occasions
| REUTERSLATEST DEVELOPMENTS
Speaking on the "one in, one out" scheme, a Home Office spokesman said: "For many years, illegal migrants entered our country with no consequence.
"These returns send a warning to those considering entering this country illegally: if you come here by small boat, you can be sent back.
"We are scaling up these removals to France and will do whatever it takes to secure our borders."
The spokesman added they will "not accept any abuse of our borders" and that any individual who attempts to return to the country after being deported "will be removed."
A Home Office spokesman insisted: 'If you come here by small boat, you can be sent back'
|REUTERS
But when asked about the scheme last week, a Downing Street spokesman said: "We've been clear about the arrangement with France, that this is the beginning of a landmark scheme which is not in itself a silver bullet."
Despite this, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer recently said the scheme is "on course" to achieve their goal of reducing the number of illegal boat crossings.
In contrast, Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch said the illegal migrant's return to the UK demonstrates that the government is "in total chaos."
The news comes just hours after it was confirmed that the UK topped the list of asylum claims in Europe, seeing a rise of 28 per cent in applications.
New data shows in excess of 108,000 applicants in 2024, far surpassing the 84,000 of the previous year.
This represents the highest number of asylum claims ever recorded in the UK, according to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.