Migrants will be deported today as part of the ‘one-in, one-out’ deal with France, according to sources.
They will be flown back on Air France commercial flights, with removal notices having already been served on asylum seekers who arrived last month.
Four flights are expected to take place this week, with as few as 10 migrants per flight.
Sources have told The Telegraph migrants will be flown on commercial flights rather than a charter aircraft, which is standard practice for failed asylum seekers.
The first asylum seekers from France arriving in the UK on Saturday.
The former head of immigration enforcement David Wood said the Home Office will want the deportations to go smoothly ‘so they’ll pick the migrants who are most compliant’.
‘The main challenge is if the migrants become disruptive on the flight, and when they are held in detention other migrants spread that knowledge,’ he said.
The ‘one in, one out’ pilot scheme has been agreed for the UK to send back to France migrants who have crossed the Channel, in exchange for those who apply and are approved to come to the UK.
Migrants wade into the sea to board a dinghy to cross the English Channel on August 25, 2025 in Gravelines, France
Sir Keir Starmer greets President of France Emmanuel Macron outside 10 Downing Street ahead of the UK-France Summit — July 10, 2025
A Home Office spokesperson said: ‘Under the new UK-France treaty, people crossing in small boats can now be detained and removed to France. We expect the first returns to take place imminently.
‘Protecting the UK border is our top priority. We will do whatever it takes to restore order to secure our borders.’
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp – who served as an immigration minister in Boris Johnson’s government – said Labour’s plan would be overwhelmed by legal challenges brought on behalf of migrants to prevent them being sent back.
At least 100 migrants were detained in early August after crossing the Channel by small boat.
They have since been held at immigration removal centres and an undisclosed number have now been issued with formal ‘removal directions’ by the Home Office.
Tory frontbencher Mr Philp said: ‘The Government will be hit with a slew of last-minute legal challenges, but are too naïve to realise this.
‘They have not scrapped the Human Rights Act in immigration matters or, indeed, the use of modern slavery claims as a pretext to stay in Britain, so ministers will find it very hard to remove people in practice.
‘In any case, removing a tiny handful of people will have no deterrent effect, when 2,000 people crossed in the last 10 days alone.
‘By their own admission 95 per cent of those crossing will be allowed to stay, which is clearly no deterrent at all.
‘What we should do is deport very single illegal immigrant immediately on arrival.’
When PM Sir Keir Starmer and Mr Macron announced the deal in July it was suggested it would see 50 migrants a week sent back to France.
At that rate, less than 2,000 would be returned before the agreement expires on June 11 next year.
By comparison, 31,026 have arrived so far this year, up 38 per cent on the same period last year.
