Overview

• Home Office sources said an Iranian man was returned to France on Friday, following the High Court‑cleared removal of an Eritrean earlier that morning and the first return of an Indian national on Thursday.
• Official figures show 1,072 people crossed the Channel in 13 boats on Friday, taking 2025 arrivals to 32,103, with reporters witnessing multiple launches from Gravelines on the French coast.
• Judicial rulings continue to determine case outcomes, including an earlier 14‑day pause granted to one Eritrean, while another lost his challenge as charities advise migrants on legal routes to resist removal.
• Officials say the reciprocal pilot runs to June 2026, with the first safe‑route admissions from France expected next week and numbers targeted to be at or near parity under the 'one in, one out' framework.
• Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy calls the returns an immediate deterrent, critics label the totals ineffective, and ministers dismiss President Trump’s call to deploy the military, reiterating Border Force leads and the Navy can assist if needed.