More than 1,000 people crossed the English Channel in small boats on Friday, on the same day the government confirmed two men had been deported as part of its deal to return migrants to France.
Ministers are hoping their “one-in-one-out” plan will in time provide a deterrent for would-be asylum seekers if they believe they risk being quickly sent back.
But 1,072 people crossed the Channel in 13 boats on a day of warm and sunny September weather, marking the third time this year the 1,000 figure has been surpassed in a single day.
It takes the number of people to have made the crossing so far in 2025 to 32,103, a record for this point in a year.
So far, only three people have been returned to France under the deal, which is in its early stages.
An Eritrean man and an Iranian man were deported on Friday after the first migrant, an Indian man, was removed from the UK on Thursday.
The government won a legal challenge to sanction the return of the Eritrean national.
Under the treaty, the UK can immediately detain anyone who crosses the English Channel and, within around two weeks, agree with the French authorities to return the individual.
For each migrant the UK returns to France, another migrant with a strong case for asylum in the UK will come in return.
Ministers have praised the returns, with Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy saying they provided an “immediate deterrent” to people seeking to cross the Channel.
There is no suggestion from either the French or British governments that the plan will, on its own, smash the cross-channel trade.
But Conservative shadow home secretary Chris Philp sad it would offer “no deterrent effect whatsoever”.
The numbers returned so far were “pathetic”, he added.
Friday’s arrivals in Dover represent the third time in 2025 the daily number has topped 1,000 – the previous coming just two weeks ago when 1,101 crossed on 6 September.
In both cases the huge influx followed a run of days when weather and sea conditions meant no crossings were attempted. Before Friday, there had been eight days with zero arrivals recorded.
The government said it intends to increase the number of people being sent back under the pilot deal over the coming months.
Next week, the first asylum seekers are expected to arrive in the UK from France under the reciprocal aspect of the deal.