The Government has passed the so called 'Illegal Migration Bill' aimed at preventing asylum seekers from entering the UK via irregular means, the only way possible after the government closed safe routes to asylum. It gives the Home Secretary the power to detain and deport people en masse, denying them their right under international law to have their claim for asylum considered.
Opponents of the move, including migration experts and politicians, have criticized it as being unworkable and politically motivated. They argue that the Government's punitive approach to the issue of asylum seekers has failed in the past, as evidenced by the increased number of Channel crossings following the passage of the Nationalities and Borders Act.
Experts suggest that the most sustainable way to address the issue of small boat crossings is to provide safe routes for asylum seekers to enter the UK, in accordance with international law. The closure of safe routes for people fleeing war and persecution, along with Brexit, have been cited as the primary factors contributing to the increase in Channel crossings in recent years.