An asylum seeker who was forcibly returned to France under the UK's 'one in, one out' scheme has managed to return to Britain, according to reports. The individual, whose identity has not been disclosed, was among a small number of people sent back across the Channel since the programme began last September.
The scheme, announced by Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron, aims to deter small boat crossings by returning each arrival to France in exchange for a legal migrant. However, critics say the system is failing, with only a few hundred returns completed and many returnees facing violence or disappearing.
The returnee, who spoke on condition of anonymity, described being in 'deep distress' and claimed that traffickers in France pose a serious threat. He said he intends to try entering the UK again, possibly by lorry, and work illegally until the scheme ends. 'We know that if we come on a small boat the UK will try to send us back again to France,' he said.
Other returnees have reported being 'Dublined' – sent to other EU countries where they were previously fingerprinted – and fear being returned to their home countries where they face persecution. One man from a former Soviet republic said he would likely be killed if sent back, as he had challenged his government politically.
The Home Office has declined to comment on individual cases, stating that the matter is for French authorities. The French interior ministry has not responded to requests for information. Human rights experts have called for the scheme to be scrapped, citing potential breaches of international law.
