IRC UK responds to first returns under UK–France Returns Agreement

London, United Kingdom, September 18, 2025 —  Responding to the start of removals under the UK–France Returns Agreement, Flora Alexander, Executive Director of the International Rescue Committee UK, said,

“As the start of removals under the UK-France Returns agreement begins, we remain concerned about how the newly established routes will operate, particularly given there is no clear information.

After a week in which four people, including two children, died attempting to cross the Channel, it’s clear that enforcement without alternatives only drives people into greater danger. When people have no safe routes they will continue to risk their lives to seek protection.

Opening new routes with France could offer a chance at progress  - but only if implemented transparently, quickly, and at a scale large enough to provide meaningful alternatives to people seeking safety."