On September 19, 2025, the English Channel once again became the stage for a high-stakes migration drama, as roughly 1,000 migrants made the perilous crossing from northern France to the United Kingdom. This surge, occurring after a week of choppy seas that had kept boats at bay, marked a new record for Channel crossings at this point in the year. According to the BBC, six boats took advantage of a break in the windy weather, highlighting the persistent challenge faced by British and French authorities in managing irregular migration across one of Europe’s busiest and most closely watched waterways.
French authorities reported rescuing 23 people who had encountered difficulties at sea, but not all migrants accepted help—some pressed on toward the UK, determined to reach British shores. Upon arrival at the Port of Dover, witnesses saw several groups, including two small children, being escorted by coach to processing centers. The Home Office expects the tally of arrivals to be confirmed soon, but the scale of the crossings is already clear: about 32,000 people have crossed the Channel in 2025 so far, setting a record and intensifying the political debate over border security and asylum policy.
This latest influx coincided with a heated international political exchange. During a press conference at Chequers on September 18, US President Donald Trump, visiting the UK, suggested that military intervention could serve as a powerful deterrent against illegal migration. Standing alongside Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, Trump declared, "You have people coming in and I told the prime minister I would stop it, and it doesn't matter if you call out the military, it doesn't matter what means you use." He argued that illegal migration "destroys countries from within," and implied that the UK needed to take a tougher stance, even if that meant deploying armed forces.
Trump’s comments drew swift rebuttal from UK officials. Trade Secretary Peter Kyle, speaking to BBC Breakfast the following day, emphasized that the UK Border Force—not the military—holds primary responsibility for policing the nation’s borders. "Well, what he suggested was the military are used, but we have the UK Border Force that is now established and has been reinforced and bolstered and have new powers under this government," Kyle said. He acknowledged that the navy maintains a working relationship with Border Force and could be called upon if necessary, but insisted, "What we really need at the moment is our military focused on all of those really key issues around the world, directly relating to our national defence."
Shadow Defence Secretary James Cartlidge also dismissed the idea of military involvement in migration control, calling the proposal "extremely complicated." Speaking to BBC Look East, Cartlidge argued that the UK already has a border force and needs effective deterrents, referencing the now-abandoned Conservative government’s Rwanda plan, which sought to send asylum seekers to the African nation. The plan was scrapped after the Supreme Court ruled Rwanda could not be considered a safe destination due to human rights concerns—a decision swiftly implemented by the incoming Labour administration.
General Sir Richard Barrons, former commander of the UK Joint Forces Command, added a practical perspective on the prospect of military involvement. In an interview with BBC Radio 4’s The World Tonight, he explained, "I don't think France is going to be very enthusiastic about British troops on French beaches, unless they were very carefully co-ordinated." Barrons also noted that the military would likely contribute little to current efforts, as commercial drones are already used to spot boats and the Home Office has established systems for processing arrivals. "The military would add manpower to that but they're not going to make the problem any different," he said, underscoring the logistical and diplomatic hurdles inherent in such an approach.
The UK government, meanwhile, has doubled down on its existing "one in, one out" deal with France, aiming to return as many migrants as possible who do not have the right to stay. On the morning of September 19, an Eritrean man became the second migrant to be deported under the scheme after losing a High Court bid to halt his removal. Later that day, an Iranian male was also returned to France, both removals facilitated by tightened Home Office rules around human trafficking claims. Trade Secretary Kyle described Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood as "straining at the bit" to make the pilot scheme work, vowing to fight what she called "vexatious, last-minute claims" that could delay deportations.
"We're making sure we get as many people as don't have the right to be here returned as swiftly as possible," Kyle said, adding that there are "a lot of cases" currently moving through the courts. When asked about targets for removals, he clarified, "Our target is to make sure that everybody who comes to our shore and doesn't have the right to stay is removed from the country, that is our target. We want to get a full grip on the system, we want to make sure people see a functioning system that's delivering so rapidly, efficiently and swiftly that people don't come here in the first place, that's the deterrent that we need."
Currently, about 100 men who arrived by small boat are in immigration removal centers near Heathrow, awaiting possible deportation to France. The Home Office has indicated that more deportation flights are planned for the coming week, and a government appeal is underway to limit the time migrants have to provide evidence challenging their removal. Since the "one in, one out" scheme started in August, more than 5,500 migrants have reached the UK, with officials hoping that consistent removals will eventually curb the flow.
Amid these developments, opposition parties have weighed in with their own perspectives. The Conservatives and Reform UK have both called for tougher action on migration. Reform UK has even proposed barring anyone arriving by small boat from claiming asylum, though neither party has advocated for military intervention. Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, has floated the idea of towing boats back to France "as an absolute last resort," but the Ministry of Defence has reiterated that military assets are "not optimised" for tackling illegal migration, having been acquired for defense tasks.
The debate reflects a broader struggle in British politics to balance humanitarian obligations with national security and public sentiment. As the numbers crossing the Channel continue to climb, the government’s approach faces scrutiny from multiple angles—legal, diplomatic, and moral. The Labour administration’s commitment to swift removals and tighter legal processes is being tested by the sheer scale of arrivals, while calls for more drastic measures, such as military involvement, remain controversial and largely unsupported by those responsible for national defense.
With more than 32,000 crossings already this year and the Channel crisis showing no sign of abating, the UK’s efforts to manage migration will remain a contentious and closely watched issue—both at home and abroad.
