UK asylum policy causes more violence and deaths, say rights groups | Immigration and asylum
The UK’s policy of preventing asylum seekers from crossing the Channel in small boats has led to an increase in violence, deaths and smuggler control, but has not deterred arrivals, according to a report by human rights organisations.
The Human Rights Network’s 176-page report includes contributions from 17 refugee and human rights organizations operating in Northern France and six in the United Kingdom.
The report details the use of rubber bullets and tear gas by French police, who have been given hundreds of millions of pounds by the UK to secure the UK border, as well as testimonies from professionals, including doctors, who treated asylum seekers and those trying to reach the UK.
The report was shared with the Home Office but did not comment on its content, instead describing the number of small boat crossings as “disgraceful”.
This follows a report by the Danish Refugee Council’s Mixed Migration Center which found that strict immigration policies are fueling human trafficking.
These amounts remain high despite the money the UK government spends to prevent crossings.
More than 39,000 people so far this year We crossed the canal with boatsThat’s an increase from last year’s total of about 37,000, but not as high as the record 46,000 in 2022.
The report calls for a legal investigation into the increase in deaths and violence, as well as the creation of safe routes.
“This investigation should seek to establish how UK funding has contributed to the increase in violence, including the increased power of smugglers due to increased security and the lack of safe roads,” the report said.
He adds: “Strengthened securitization is not a deterrent but instead makes it increasingly dangerous for people to cross the border.”
According to the report, in 2024, the organization Human Rights Observers documented 28 violent police operations targeting transport networks used by asylum seekers in northern France, resulting in the arrest of at least 44 people.
The organization observed more than 800 habitat evacuations affecting at least 16,365 people.
The French association Utopia 56 found that between March and September 2025, 680 people were affected by police violence in northern France when they were not trying to cross the Channel. There was a record 89 deaths in 2024 trying to cross the Channel.
The report documents an increase in violence by human traffickers who routinely carry guns; At least four people have been shot dead in and around a camp in Dunkirk so far in 2025. A 16-year-old autistic boy had a gun held to his head by smugglers.
“By allowing smuggling networks to decide who can and cannot cross the border, the UK and French governments have handed over the fundamental right to access asylum to these organized crime networks,” the report states.
The charity Médecins du Monde said 88 percent of the medical treatment it provided was for conditions linked to people’s poor living conditions.
A doctor at a clinic in Calais that treats people waiting to cross the Channel said fuel burns from boat engines were not uncommon, particularly on the lower legs and feet, causing some people’s feet to “fall apart” inside their shoes, especially when they had to walk long distances after a failed attempt to cross the Channel.
Lily MacTaggart of the Human Rights Network said: “Violence at the UK-France border is widespread, causing acute emotional distress and causing serious damage to people’s health.
“Britain and France are responsible for financing this violence and implementing policies that violate human rights and, in some cases, lead to death.”
A Home Office spokesman said: “The number of small boat services is disgraceful and the British public deserve better.
“France remains a critical partner in securing our borders, and our joint work has prevented more than 21,000 crossing attempts so far this year. Thanks to our landmark agreement, people crossing in small boats can now also be detained and removed.”
The French Ministry of Internal Affairs was contacted for opinion.
