‘National Humiliation’ – Over 15,000 Illegal Boat Migrants Have Landed in UK This Year

DOVER, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 08: A group of migrants are brought into Dover docks by Border
Dan Kitwood/Getty Images
Kurt Zindulka

The migrant crisis in the English Channel has turned into a “national humiliation” according to Brexit leader Nigel Farage, as over 15,000 illegal migrants have landed on British shores since the start of the year.

On Friday, another 174 migrants successfully reached the United Kingdom after travelling in small boats from France, following 222 on Thursday and 85 on Wednesday.

The Home Office claimed that French officials managed to stop an additional 267 migrants from making the journey during the same time period, the BBC reported.

The latest crossings bring the total number of confirmed illegal migrants to approximately 15,100, compared to 8,400 for the entire year of 2020 and 1,890 in 2019.

The true number is likely to be much higher, as it does not account for those believed to be child migrants — sometimes adults with no papers claiming to be just under 18 — or those who evaded Britain’s Border Force and disappear into the country undetected.

Britain’s so-called Clandestine Channel Threat Commander, Dan O’Mahoney, said:  ”This unacceptable rise in dangerous crossings is being driven by criminal gangs and a surge in illegal migration across Europe.

“The Channel is one of the most dangerous and busiest shipping lanes in the world,” he continued, adding that “Many migrants come from some of the poorest and most chaotic parts of the world, and many ask to claim asylum once they are picked up by the UK authorities” — although they are of course coming largely from France, which is perfectly safe.

Commenting on the growing crisis, Brexit leader Nigel Farage told The Telegraph on Friday that there is “considerable anger” and “fear” among the communities in the main migrant landing spot of Kent.

“How would you feel if you’re living in retirement on the Kent coast in a bungalow and opposite your window 80 young men land on the beach and disappear?” Farage said.

He went on to say there is “astonishment at the range of different nationalities that are coming there,” noting that it appears to be mostly African migrants arriving on British beaches.

“It’s out of control, Border Force has completely lost control of this and they know it and they admit it. I said months ago that it would be at least 20,000 this year. If the weather stays good it’ll be 30,000, next year 50,000. This is out of control.”

“I think, especially for Brexit Britain, it’s a humiliation on a scale I never thought I’d witness,” Mr Farage lamented.

Follow Kurt Zindulka on Twitter here @KurtZindulka

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