Yvette Cooper has failed to guarantee that illegal migrants will definitely be returned to France in September.
Although the Home Secretary told the Commons that the first returns are "expected" this month, Ms Cooper today was cautious not to confirm that deportations would go ahead during September.
As part of a returns agreement with France, the UK will send back migrants to France who crossed the Channel, in exchange for those who apply and are approved to come to the UK.
When asked whether she could guarantee that the returns would begin in the coming weeks, the Home Secretary insisted the UK would "continue to work" with France.
Again, pressed for a guarantee, she told Sky News: "We expect the first returns to take place this month.
"But I've always said from the very beginning on this, it's a pilot scheme and it needs to build up over time."
Ms Cooper contrasted her "practical and sensible" approach to the Tories on Rwanda, who "spent £700million and sent four volunteers after running it for two years".
She remained confident, though, that the Government could speed up efforts to empty hotels housing asylum seekers.
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Yvette Cooper was pressed to guarantee when the first returns to France would be made, but refused to give an exact date
| GETTYSir Keir Starmer said yesterday that he wanted to move more quickly to clear migrants from hotels than the Government's initial deadline, which could be as late as 2029.
Ms Cooper told Times Radio: "We do believe it can be done earlier."
The Home Secretary announced to the Commons that new applications to the existing refugee reunion route will be suspended this week.
This means refugees will be covered by "the same family migration rules and conditions as everyone else" until the new rules are enforced.
Further reforms to family reunion routers are set to be outlined later in the year and rolled out in the spring.
Ms Cooper also confirmed that there will be a crackdown on international students claiming asylum once their visas expire.
She told BBC Breakfast: "Up to 15,000 students each year end up claiming asylum as they come to the end of their visa... then going into the asylum system and staying there for years... that's what we need to fix."
The Home Office will launch a new campaign in which it will directly contact international students and their families by email or text, alerting them that they must leave if they have no right to remain.
Mr Starmer said he wants to move more quickly to clear migrants from hotels
| PABeing trialled out for the first time, nearly 10,000 students and dependants were contacted last week.
Tens of thousands more are expected to receive the guidance in the upcoming weeks ahead of their visas coming to an end.
The message also warns that an asylum claim that lacks merit will be "swiftly and robustly refused".
Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice said Ms Cooper's plan will "make no difference whatsoever".
Richard Tice said Ms Cooper's comments are 'just more waffle and words'
| PAHe told Sky News: "Her measures announced yesterday are just more waffle and words. It'll make no difference whatsoever."
When questioned about Reform's deportation proposals, Mr Tice said: "We're saying the first phase of deportations should be focusing on men primarily.
"There's many men of young age, in their 20s, and that's where we would start and go through the process.
"We've said, 'look, it's going to take a parliamentary term to remove some 600,000 people'. But anybody who is here illegally should not expect to be allowed to stay here forever."