Hundreds of migrants and asylum seekers have crossed the Channel from France to Britain in small boats after an 11-day hiatus.
According to the UK Ministry of Defence, 254 people arrived on Sunday, bringing the total number of people who have entered the country in 2022 to nearly 7,000.
The return of the journeys, which is likely due to a shift in weather, comes only weeks after Britain disclosed disputed proposals to deport people who cross the Channel to Rwanda, thousands of miles away.
The measures, which have been roundly condemned by rights groups and UK opposition parties, come at a time when the number of migrants transiting one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes has skyrocketed.
Traveling in improper and risky craft was unusual prior to 2019, but it has since increased significantly — with 28,526 registered in 2021 — and provoked political outrage.
Last year, over 90% of arrivals were male, with three-quarters being men aged 18 to 39.
They have put pressure on Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Conservative government, whose voters frequently cite illegal immigration as a major concern.
