A Home Office minister has revealed that 24 people so far this year have been convicted. Or jailed for helping illegal immigrants to cross the English Channel.
24 convictions for migrant crossing business this year: Chris Philp, Immigration Minister, announced the figure in a response to the urgent question. Why there have been so many boats crossing the Channel carrying immigrants. Although it is not yet known if all the convictions are linked to boats from France to the UK.
Mr Philp told the House of Commons that. “it is criminal gangs that are exploiting the immigrants who believe that they would have a chance of a better life in the UK. Rather than staying in their own countries”.
He said that they are working to convict those gangs that stand to make money out of people’s misery. Talking figures, Mr Philp said that in August 1,500 people had arrived in the UK, compared with 94 people in January.
He also stated that 34 people were picked up trying to cross the channel on Wednesday by the RNLI. He went on to say that this figure is completely unacceptable.
24 convictions for migrant crossing business this year in total
However, he does sympathize with the migrants who feel they have to leave their homes due to poverty, war and persecution. He finished off by saying that the current government are very compassionate. Also that the asylum system has been extremely generous.
Having provided around 20,000 resettlement places since 2015 for those that have arrived with nothing.
Share on your Social Networks