Small boat migrants are being waved through UK ports and onto British soil after just 30-minute security checks, reveals SUE REID
An investigation by the Daily Mail has found that canal boat migrants are being directed to British territory without strict security checks when they land.
In a glaring mistake, hundreds of immigrants who arrived illegally on the Kent coast from France last month sped away less than half an hour after stepping onto the shore.
Our investigation found that Border Force and intelligence services lack rigorous vetting designed to weed out suspected foreign criminals or potential terrorists arriving on smuggling gangs’ boats.
The Home Office has temporarily moved the Kent port of arrival for boat migrants from Dover to Ramsgate, 20 miles away, opening what whistleblowers claim is a ‘dangerous’ gap in security.
The Daily Mail has timed the movement of migrants arriving in Ramsgate after being picked up mid-Channel by Border Force ships Typhoon, Defender and Volunteer since the beginning of February.
From there, hired coaches take them to a processing center in Manston, three miles away.
On Tuesday, the time between disembarkation from Typhoon and arrival at Manston camp was 38 minutes.
The migrants were at the port where they were handed over their lifejackets for 27 minutes before they were allowed to enter the UK. They were given new clothes, medical wipes, given a hand scanner weapons check and then taken to Manston.
The Daily Mail’s investigation has found canal boat migrants (pictured on Wednesday) are being guided towards British territory without strict security checks when they disembark
Migrants disembark from a Border Force ship at Ramsgate port on 25 February 2026
Videos posted online show migrants arriving in the UK by boat
On February 9, Defender brought in the migrants at 9:50 a.m. They left the port at 10.20am and arrived at Manston processing center 13 minutes later; this took a total of 43 minutes.
The Volunteer docked later that day and the migrants disembarked at 10.58am, then boarded a bus 24 minutes later, arriving in Manston at 11.42am (44 minutes in total).
Nearly all new arrivals to the camp are illegal entrants, staying for up to three days for fingerprinting, identification and security interviews.
Newcomers said the talks could only last 45 minutes.
They are then sent to immigration hotels or Home Office properties across the country.
The Home Office says Manston is a safe camp. But one tipster warned: ‘We know of cases where migrants have disappeared, been picked up by relatives and even visited the local McDonald’s. This is not a prison, nor is it intended to be one.’
In response, according to the Home Office, those in Dover received dry clothing, were screened for disease and faced questions about their identity; this was a process that could take hours for each contingent before they were taken to Manston.
It is designed to root out those with knives, guns, criminal records or links to terrorism.
One tipster said: ‘Many were undocumented and completely anonymous. They often throw away their passports while in France or during their travels. No one really knows who they are and what their intentions are. It’s potentially dangerous.’
People who were rescued while trying to cross the English Channel by small boat are being processed temporarily at Ramsgate port.
Migrants were seen crossing the English Channel in small boats
Once processed, they are sent to immigration hotels or Home Office properties across the country.
Some 74 migrants arrived in Ramsgate on Tuesday for the first time since February 9, bringing this year’s total to 1,604.
The Home Office has temporarily moved the Kent port of arrival for boat migrants from Dover to Ramsgate, 20 miles away, opening what whistleblowers claim is a ‘dangerous’ gap in security.
At 6.30am yesterday morning the Border Force ship Ranger brought in a group that had set sail from France just after midnight. After brief checks, they put Ramsgate on a bus in less than half an hour. There was no security meeting.
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: ‘The Government must ensure appropriate checks are carried out on all these illegal immigrants.
‘We have no idea who they are or where they come from. They are mostly young men. ‘Many people commit sexual offenses and offenses in the UK.’
Zia Yusuf, Reform England’s home affairs spokesman, said: ‘Any individual arriving illegally should be immediately detained and deported. Anything less puts public safety at risk.’
The Home Office said: ‘Security check processes have not been affected by this temporary relocation and all arrivals continue to be processed as usual.’
Some 74 migrants arrived in Ramsgate on Tuesday for the first time since February 9, bringing this year’s total to 1,604.
More than 400 people turned out for this year’s busiest Channel crossing yesterday, according to estimates, which would take the total since January 1 to over 2,000.
