The UK government has announced that it has deported more than 24,000 individuals with no legal right to remain in the country since July. The revelation comes as representatives from 40 nations, including the US, China, and France, gather in London for a landmark summit on illegal migration.
Opening the two-day event, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer described human smuggling as a “vile trade” that exploits international divisions. He emphasized the need for global cooperation, warning that failing to work together would only benefit criminal networks profiting from the crisis.
The summit, held at Lancaster House, is the first of its kind and brings together key stakeholders—including tech giants Meta, X (formerly Twitter), and TikTok—to discuss ways to disrupt smuggling networks. Officials from Vietnam, Albania, and Iraq, as well as Kurdish leaders and Interpol, are also in attendance.
More than 6,000 migrants have arrived in the UK via small boats in 2025 so far, marking a record-breaking start to the year. The Labour government, which campaigned on a promise to scrap the previous administration’s Rwanda deportation scheme, has focused on international collaboration as its primary strategy for addressing illegal migration.
Ahead of the summit, the government pledged £33 million to combat human smuggling. This includes £30 million to disrupt supply chains and trafficking routes across Europe, the Balkans, Asia, and Africa, and £3 million to enhance the Crown Prosecution Service’s ability to tackle smuggling cases.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has also signaled a crackdown on migrants who arrive on student or work visas but later claim asylum. Additionally, the government is reviewing how the right to family life under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) affects deportation cases.
The summit aims to produce “concrete outcomes” for countries in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and North America. While the government insists its measures will take time to have an impact, opposition figures argue Labour should not have abandoned the Rwanda deportation plan.
