France rejected half of asylum seekers returned by Britain, inspector's report reveals

Summarised by AI from 1 article

A report by Chief Inspector of Borders John Tuckett revealed that France rejected half the asylum seekers Britain attempted to return under their bilateral "one-in, one-out" migration scheme.

Signed in August 2025, the agreement allowed Britain to return Channel boat arrivals without family in the United Kingdom, while admitting migrants from France with UK family ties.

Between August 2025 and June 2026, Britain sent 1,087 asylum seekers to France and received 1,117. However, 28,000 arrived on small boats, meaning Britain returned only about 4 percent of arrivals.

The scheme ended in October 2026 after France stated it could not bear the burden alone, adding that Britain should negotiate an agreement with the European Union.

Summaries can miss detail. Check the original reports below before you cite figures.