Asylum Seeker Deported to France Returns to UK, Exposes Flaws in ‘One In, One Out’ Treaty

A growing controversy has hit the UK’s “one in, one out” asylum transfer agreement with France after an Iranian migrant who was previously sent back to France under the scheme reportedly returned to Britain by small boat, citing fear and insecurity across the French border.

The migrant, currently detained in a UK immigration facility, told The Guardian that he had been subjected to exploitation and abuse by human traffickers in northern France before his first crossing to Britain. He described France as unsafe, alleging that smugglers armed with weapons forced him into servitude and threatened to kill him if he resisted.

“If I had felt that France was safe for me, I would never have returned to the UK,” he said. “Every day I lived in fear and anxiety; every shadow or loud noise terrified me.”

The revelation coincided with fresh figures showing that Channel crossings this year have surpassed 2024 totals. According to Home Office data, 36,886 migrants have arrived in the UK via small boats in 2025 exceeding last year’s record by 70, with two months remaining.

The case has triggered political backlash in Westminster. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch accused the Labour government of incompetence, claiming, “This Labour government is in total chaos no backbone, no plan, and too weak to secure our borders.”

Nigel Farage called the “one in, one out” arrangement a “total failure,” while Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesperson Max Wilkinson urged Labour to match promises with concrete action.

Responding, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood defended the government’s approach, saying Labour had already deported more than 35,000 illegal migrants since taking office but acknowledged more needed to be done to deter crossings.

Human rights groups, however, argue that the policy risks breaching international obligations. Maddie Harris, founder of Humans for Rights Network, said several asylum seekers returned to France have faced homelessness, violence, and re-trafficking.

France’s Interior Ministry, meanwhile, dismissed claims of mistreatment, stating that all returnees are provided shelter and assessments under EU asylum procedures.

Analysts warn that the incident could deepen diplomatic tension between London and Paris, testing the credibility of Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s migration plan and raising questions about the long-term sustainability of the “one in, one out” system.