Boats were seen leaving northern France on Friday evening and the early hours of Saturday.
Groups were seen arriving throughout Saturday. (Image: Gareth Fuller/PA Wire)
Groups of people thought to be migrants have been brought into Dover by the Border Force after a series of overnight Channel crossings. People were witnessed leaving northern France on Friday night and into Saturday on small boats.
Some 40,652 migrants have made the dangerous Channel crossing since the start of 2025, according to analysis of the latest Government figures by the Press Association. While the number of people making the dangerous journey across the English Channel has risen more swiftly in 2025 than in past years, the yearly total has still not surpassed that of 2022, when 45,755 arrived: the highest on record. The Government meanwhile continues efforts to grasp the so-called “upstream” causes of the migration crisis, including through work with neighbouring countries.
Some 40,652 migrants have made the dangerous Channel crossing since the start of 2025. (Image: Gareth Fuller/PA Wire)
Groups of people were seen disembarking in Dover (Image: Gareth Fuller/PA Wire)
Just this week, Germany passed a new law which could see people smugglers face up to 10 years in prison for trying to bring migrants to the UK.
The law change, which is expected to come into force before the end of the year, aims to give law enforcement and prosecutors more powers and boost information sharing between the UK and Germany.
It follows a deal agreed between the two countries in December last year to tackle illegal migration, including taking action to remove smugglers’ advertising on social media.
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “This major change in German law is the result of our close partnership working to tackle illegal migration and organised immigration crime.
“We will continue to ramp up our international co-operation to strengthen our own border security.”
UK and German law enforcement agencies will now have stronger powers to dismantle the networks behind the small boats, providing prosecutors with additional tools to tackle people smuggling and the criminality associated with the supply and storage of small boat equipment.
The legislation will also strengthen the sharing of information between the UK and German law enforcement to bring more people smugglers to justice.
This forms a key part of this Government’s work to crack down on small boat crossings and secure UK borders by working in partnership with international allies. It follows the landmark UK-Germany joint action plan on illegal migration agreed last December.
This all comes as the government has announced the most sweeping reforms to tackle illegal migration in modern times. These new reforms will restore order and control to our border, removing the incentives which draw people to the UK illegally and increasing removals of those with no right to be on British soil.
The legislation follows the Prime Minister’s work to reset international relations in order to broker deals that benefit working people back home, including return deals with France, Iraq, a new treaty with Germany and tighter law enforcement co-operation across the Western Balkans.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said: “Together with our German allies, we are cracking down on the criminal gangs operating the illegal migration trade.
“I thank Minister Dobrindt for Germany’s strong co-operation with the UK in tackling this issue.
“This government is restoring order at our borders by scaling up removals and removing the incentives that draw people here illegally.”
