As the United Kingdom raised its national terror threat level to "severe," meaning an attack is considered "highly likely," security experts are warning that Britain’s separate illegal migration crisis is adding to broader concerns over border control and vetting, with small boat crossings now nearing 200,000 arrivals since 2018.
The U.K.’s Joint Terrorism Analysis Center deported or removed since the crisis began, representing less than 4% of total arrivals.
The debate intensified this week after British Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood outlined plans to expand "safe and legal" refugee pathways once the government regains greater control over the asylum system, according to GB News reporting.
Speaking to GB News, Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden defended the government’s broader migration policy and said Mahmood was doing a "very good job."
"We want to make sure that it’s a level that is good for the economy, that can be absorbed by the country, and that is done under proper rules," McFadden said.
The Home Office has argued the government is increasing enforcement efforts against trafficking gangs and strengthening cooperation with France. A Home Office spokesperson said that the government had signed a "landmark new deal" with France aimed at boosting enforcement operations on beaches and disrupting smuggling routes.
The crossings themselves remain dangerous. Over the weekend, two Sudanese women reportedly died attempting to cross the Channel after a boat carrying dozens of migrants encountered problems off the French coast, according to British media reports.
According to the Refugee Council, many of those arriving by small boat originate from countries experiencing war, persecution or political instability, including Afghanistan, Syria, Eritrea, Iran and Sudan. The group says the vast majority of small-boat arrivals go on to apply for asylum in the UK.
The small boat crisis first escalated in 2018 after tighter security reduced attempts to enter Britain hidden in trucks and ferries. Since then, the crossings have become one of the most politically explosive issues in British politics, fueling growing pressure on both Labour and Conservative leaders to demonstrate control over the border.