By Aysu Bicer
LONDON (AA) - The UK Home Office on Thursday released its latest data on irregular migration and asylum applications, with 38,784 irregular arrivals being recorded in the 12 months to June 2024, representing a 26% drop from the previous year.
Of these, a substantial 81% — or 31,493 people — made the dangerous journey across the Channel in small boats. This figure marks a 29% reduction from the 44,460 who arrived via small boats in the year ending June 2023.
Despite the overall decrease in numbers, the average number of people per boat has risen to 51, up from an average of 44 in the previous year, suggesting that smugglers are increasingly packing more people onto each vessel.
As the government continues to grapple with the complexities of managing migration, the number of people awaiting an initial decision on their asylum applications remains a key issue.
By the end of June 2024, 118,882 people were still waiting for an initial decision, a slight increase from 118,329 at the end of March 2024.
However, this is a significant year-on-year decrease of 32% from the record high of 175,457 seen in June 2023. Of those waiting, 76,268 have been in limbo for over six months, although this number is down 46% from the previous year’s high of 139,961.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has reaffirmed her commitment to tackling illegal migration, announcing plans to reopen two immigration centers as part of a broader strategy to increase the removal of individuals who do not have a legal right to remain in the UK.
Cooper, who has faced criticism from migrant rights campaigners, said the Border Security Command is ramping up its operations.
The Home Office’s strategy includes the deployment of 100 additional intelligence officers dedicated to dismantling the smuggling networks that facilitate these dangerous crossings.