Labour previously pledged to return more people who do not have a right to stay in the UK halfway through their first year in office than any other six-month period since 2018.
The Home Office on Sunday said almost 13,460 people had been removed since the country went to the polls on July 4, which is the highest rate since 2019.
The Conservatives highlighted that the number of Channel crossings is higher than the same period last year, saying Sir Keir Starmer and Yvette Cooper were “failing to control our borders and should hang their heads in shame”.
Another 298 migrants made the journey on Friday, according to provisional Government figures.
Ms Cooper, who visited Rome on Saturday for talks with her Italian counterpart on people-smuggling, insisted the Labour administration had “intensified” border security measures since coming to office.
A Border Force vessel carrying around 100 migrants, including several children arrives at Dover port in October, 2024 (Photo: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
New technology including body-worn cameras and fingerprint kits will be rolled out next year to more than 1,200 immigration enforcement officers in a bid to strengthen evidence that can be collected in raids, the Government said.
It will include warnings to potential migrants about the exploitative practices of employers and the inhumane living conditions faced by workers, based on real testimonies, the department said.
“Since the election, we have intensified our efforts to crackdown on exploitation and illegal working – the number of operations and arrests are up, and we are on track to meet our target of increasing removals to the highest level for five years.
“If you employ people illegally, you will face consequences. The rules must be respected and enforced.”
The remaining 9,770 are understood to be voluntary returns and foreign national offenders, though it is unclear how many of either category are represented in the combined figure.
Home Office data published last month showed the number of enforced returns had jumped to the highest level in nearly six years.
It is the highest quarterly total since October to December 2018 – when the figure was 2,087, according to Home Office data published on Thursday.
Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said: “These return figures just continue the upward trajectory we have been on under the previous government.
Mr Philp said that an increase of more than 6,000 in the number of asylum seekers being temporarily housed in hotels since the end of June was also “making a mockery of Labour’s pledge to end hotel use”.
From PA
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