More than 4,500 people have been landed in the United Kingdom since the beginning of this year, according to a count kept by the British news agency PA.
The responsible deputy secretary, Tom Pursglove, has called the increase in attempts to cross the Channel “unacceptable”. “Not only are they an overt abuse of our immigration laws, but they are impacting the UK taxpayer, putting lives at risk and our ability to bring refugees to the UK through safe and legal routes. The British public has, quite rightly, had enough.”