The vast majority of Channel migrants are still avoiding deportation despite Labour’s repeated vows to boot them out.

Some 2,550 were removed in the year to December, up from 2,324 in 2024 and 2,042 in 2023.

Home Office figures show around 600 people were booted out every three months last year.

The vast majority of small boat removals have been thwarted by human rights laws, with the Home Office unable to remove people to many of the countries arrivals travel from.

The Conservatives and Reform have vowed to leave the European Convention on Human Rights to allow them to deport every illegal migrant living in the UK.

Labour has claimed it has dramatically increased the number of removals. But this has mainly consisted of foreign criminals, failed asylum seekers and immigration offenders.

Concern had remained over the number of small boat migrants being deported.

Minister for Border Security and Asylum Alex Norris, said: “Today’s figures show that we are making progress to restore the asylum and immigration system – but more must be done to stop people crossing the Channel illegally.

“Removals of illegal migrants who arrived on a small boat have increased, and nearly 60,000 people with no right to be here have been removed or deported under this government.

“That includes removals of foreign national offenders going up by 32% and enforced returns up by 45%.

“But our sweeping reforms will take us further. That includes replacing the broken appeals system as well as crack down on the incentives drawing illegal migrants to our country in the first place.”