Rachel has welcomed a 20% fall in the number of small boats arriving in the UK.
This is the first time since the small boat crossings phenomenon began that arrivals in the first half of the year have fallen compared to the year before.
It comes as new figures show the Prime Minister’s plan to stop the boats is working.
The UK’s deal with France prevented 33,000 illegal Channel crossings last year – 40% more than the year before.
Last year, a third of those arriving in the UK on small boats were from Albania, a safe European country. New figures show Albanian arrivals are down almost 90% and their asylum grant rate including withdrawals is now 2%. The Government has also removed 1,800 Albanian illegal migrants and foreign criminals.
The Prime Minister is delivering on his promise to improve illegal immigration enforcement. The Government has increased the number of illegal working raids by more than 50%, and arrests have more than doubled.
The legacy asylum backlog is down almost a fifth since December and on track to deliver on the Government’s target.
Rachel said:
“Stopping illegal Channel crossings is the most moral and compassionate thing we can do, which is why I have voted for the Stop the Boats Bill at every stage in Parliament.
“And even before that Bill has become law, we’re already seeing that the Government is making progress in stopping the boats with a 20% fall in the number of small boat arrivals since December.
“I will continue to support measures to tackle illegal migration – just as I promised my constituents I would do.”
