A 26-year-old Kurdish Syrian man, who was sent back to France under the UK's 'one in, one out' scheme, now faces deportation to Syria after French authorities rejected his asylum claim, ruling that it is safe for him to return. This is believed to be the first case of its kind since the agreement between Prime Minister Keir Starmer and President Emmanuel Macron was announced in July 2025.
The man fled Syria last year to avoid forced conscription by the YPG militia, stating, 'I didn't want to go to war and kill people.' He was separated from his family by smugglers during the journey and has not been able to contact them since. After arriving in the UK on a small boat, he was returned to France in November under the scheme, which aims to deter Channel crossings by forcibly returning one asylum seeker to France for each one brought legally to the UK.
Despite Syria not being on the EU's list of safe countries, the French rejection letter argued that the man 'has not presented any relevant arguments that would convince the office that his personal circumstances would pose a serious and individual threat to his life or person should he return to his country.' The asylum interview lasted just over two hours, with much of the questioning focused on proving his residence in his home village.
The man expressed his distress: 'I am so stressed by everything that has happened to me that my hair has started falling out. I’m 26 and I am too young to be losing my hair. I don’t know what to do now. I followed the rules under ‘one in, one out’ and claimed asylum in France, but that has been rejected.' He fears returning to Syria, where the YPG militia would likely conscript him, or returning to the UK, where he would be detained.
As of 24 April, 561 people have been removed to France under the scheme, with 551 brought legally to the UK. However, on 18 April alone, 602 asylum seekers arrived on small boats, raising doubts about the deterrent effect. Immigration solicitor Sonia Lenegan warned: 'This case is an example of the real risk involved in returning people to France... the UK is putting them at real risk of being returned to the country where they face persecution, in violation of the refugee convention.'
The Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants has launched a letter-writing campaign against the airlines involved in the removals, with over 6,500 people participating. A Home Office spokesperson defended the policy, stating that more than 600 illegal migrants have been deported to France, contributing to nearly 60,000 returns since July 2025. Home Office sources indicated that Syrian asylum seekers whose claims are rejected could face return if it is deemed safe.
