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UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood hosts a high-level Five Eyes meeting to address the surge in Channel crossings, bolster border security, and coordinate international efforts amid rising migration and security challenges.
Shabana Mahmood, the newly appointed Home Secretary, is set to host a high-profile gathering of the Five Eyes security alliance leaders in London to tackle the growing crisis of people-smuggling and record arrivals of migrants crossing the English Channel. The meeting includes homeland ministers from key allies—the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand—and marks Mahmood’s first major engagement since her appointment in Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s extensive cabinet reshuffle. The summit aims to forge new, coordinated strategies to strengthen border security, dismantle smuggling networks, and protect the UK’s borders amid unprecedented migration pressures.
Recent Home Office figures reveal a staggering surge in small boat crossings this year, with over 30,000 migrants arriving in the UK by sea so far in 2025—already exceeding previous annual records. On one particularly busy day, 1,097 individuals arrived in 17 small boats, underscoring the urgency of the crisis. This figure represents a 37% increase compared to the same period in 2024 and 2023, making it the earliest point in the year that the 30,000 milestone has been passed since data collection began in 2018. Mahmood described these numbers as “utterly unacceptable” and expressed expectations that returns of migrants to France under a recently agreed bilateral deal would commence imminently.
The Five Eyes talks extend beyond people-smuggling. Officials will also address growing concerns around online child sexual abuse and the spread of lethal synthetic opioids, reflecting a broad security agenda. UK Interior Minister Mahmood will be joined by US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, Canadian Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree, Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, and New Zealand Minister Judith Collins. The collaboration is intended to enhance intelligence sharing and law enforcement cooperation to disrupt transnational criminal enterprises that exploit migration routes and digital platforms.
In response to the migration surge, the UK government is pursuing a series of more stringent domestic measures. One key policy under discussion is relocating asylum seekers from hotels—currently housing tens of thousands—to military barracks as temporary accommodation. Defence Secretary John Healey has confirmed this plan, which is part of the government’s broader strategy to restore public confidence in border control and manage asylum seeker housing more effectively. This move follows widespread public protests against hotel accommodations and signals a tougher stance on immigration under the Labour government, which faces pressure from right-wing opposition parties like Reform UK. Critics, including refugee advocacy groups such as the Refugee Council, argue that such measures are misguided, advocating instead for faster, fairer processing of asylum claims and better community-based support to help refugees rebuild their lives.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s reshuffle, which saw Mahmood take the helm at the Home Office, is partly a political move to sharpen Labour’s immigration policy and stem voter attrition to parties with harder immigration platforms. Starmer has instructed his Cabinet to “go up a gear” in delivering on Labour’s agenda, with immigration control featuring prominently. This reflects a notable shift to more right-leaning policies on immigration within Labour, including plans to reinterpret the European Convention on Human Rights to facilitate deportations and consider more rigorous migration enforcement laws. However, this shift risks alienating some left-wing supporters of the party while trying to counteract growing public concern about irregular migration.
High-level border security efforts are spearheaded by UK Border Security Commander Martin Hewitt, who aims to halve small boat crossings within three years. Hewitt emphasises that while migration pressures arise from global conflict and climate change, success lies in significantly reducing smuggling activity and making crossings less viable. The government is also exploring international solutions such as “returns hubs” in third countries where rejected asylum seekers can be processed, and increasing penalties on smugglers through measures like travel bans, restrictions on social media use, and closer monitoring of illicit networks. These powers, to be introduced via a forthcoming border security and immigration bill, would grant law enforcement immediate tools to disrupt smuggling operations with serious criminal prevention orders.
Starmer has cast illegal migration as a security threat comparable to terrorism and has hosted a summit involving over 40 countries and major tech companies to address the organised crime dimension of immigration. Yet, critics argue that despite these efforts, Labour has struggled to curb Channel crossings, with some opposition voices advocating for a return to more controversial schemes like the Rwanda deportation plan. The government counters that multi-country cooperation and law enforcement synergy are beginning to yield results, pointing to deportations of over 24,000 individuals without the right to remain since July 2024.
Overall, the Five Eyes summit and related government policies illustrate the UK’s attempt to balance domestic political pressures and international collaboration in tackling complex migration and security challenges. The effectiveness of these measures remains to be tested amid continuing high migrant arrivals and sustained public concern about border control and asylum system capacity.
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Source: Noah Wire Services
Verification / Sources
- https://www.irishnews.com/news/uk/mahmood-to-meet-five-eyes-for-border-talks-in-first-home-office-job-7O2B2KJVTZL7HCCNWCMQYHG75M/ – Please view link – unable to able to access data
- https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/five-eyes-ministers-meet-discuss-smashing-people-smuggling-gangs-uk-says-2025-09-07/ – Homeland ministers from the Five Eyes alliance—comprising the UK, US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand—are convening in London to introduce new measures aimed at strengthening border security and dismantling people-smuggling networks. UK Interior Minister Shabana Mahmood announced the focus of the two-day meeting, emphasizing the importance of joint efforts to combat organized crime, particularly human trafficking. The summit follows Mahmood’s recent appointment after a cabinet reshuffle by Prime Minister Keir Starmer. With migration becoming a major political issue in the UK and globally, the talks also aim to address online child sexual abuse and the spread of synthetic opioids. Key participants include US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Canada’s Gary Anandasangaree, Australia’s Tony Burke, and New Zealand’s Judith Collins.
- https://www.ft.com/content/b9da61ac-b77f-4170-b5fd-d48e2b553624 – In response to escalating immigration concerns and record-high small boat crossings, the UK government under Prime Minister Keir Starmer plans to move asylum seekers from hotels to military barracks. Defence Secretary John Healey confirmed this aims to restore public confidence in border control. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood labeled the current migration numbers—over 30,000 arrivals—as “utterly unacceptable” and pledged to restore order. The government is also considering tighter application of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), which has previously obstructed deportations. These moves reflect a more rightward stance by Starmer on immigration, risking alienation of leftwing voters and prompting potential defections to the Green Party or Jeremy Corbyn’s new platform. Reform UK has capitalized on public dissatisfaction by advocating for drastic anti-immigration measures. The announcement follows a substantial cabinet reshuffle: Angela Rayner resigned as deputy PM, replaced by David Lammy; Yvette Cooper became foreign secretary; Shabana Mahmood took over the Home Office; and Peter Kyle was appointed business secretary. The government is pursuing stronger economic ties and planning a “one in, one out” returns deal with Germany on migration.
- https://www.ft.com/content/1f915ee5-671a-4991-8688-2e82ed25f9c5 – Martin Hewitt, the UK Border Security Commander, aims to halve the number of small boat crossings over the next three years. He acknowledges persistent migration due to conflict regions and climate change, stating a significant reduction in crossings would be a success. Prime Minister Keir Starmer emphasizes cracking down on irregular migration to combat far-right populism. Immigration is a top concern for the British public, surpassed only by the economy. Political leaders and law enforcement bodies from over 40 countries attended a summit addressing organized immigration crime. Hewitt differentiates the challenge from the drug trade, citing successful interventions in previous smuggling routes. Home Office data indicates a rise in asylum claims from individuals arriving legally on visas. Hewitt seeks to increase the costs for smugglers, rendering small boat crossings less viable. The UK government is also exploring European proposals for “returns hubs” in third-party countries for rejected migrants.
- https://www.ft.com/content/065e2ad1-762a-4188-8fb9-5ce90093a2db – In the first half of 2025, nearly 20,000 migrants arrived in the UK via small boats, marking a record figure and highlighting the serious challenge facing Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s efforts to curb irregular migration. This surge significantly surpasses previous records, with 13,489 and 12,750 arrivals in the same periods of 2024 and 2022 respectively. Starmer, who has vowed to dismantle human smuggling operations, proposes a pilot exchange agreement with France and has committed to ending hotel accommodation for asylum seekers by the end of this parliament. As of March 2025, 32,345 migrants were housed in hotels, down from the September 2023 peak of over 56,000. Approximately 33% of asylum seekers arrive via small boats, with 40% entering through legal visas. The top countries of origin include Afghanistan, Syria, Eritrea, Iran, and Sudan, with a notable increase from Eritrea amid conflict. Starmer faces political pressure from both right-wing parties, such as Reform UK, which advocate for deportation policies, and rebel MPs criticizing his welfare reforms. Critics argue that current measures have failed, with opposition figures claiming unchecked migration and demanding removal strategies to deter future arrivals.
- https://www.ft.com/content/8f9d45c4-1f4d-4260-af63-033c37ead1bf – The UK government plans to introduce measures targeting people smugglers, including travel bans and social media restrictions, in response to a 25% increase in migrant arrivals via the English Channel in 2024. The new measures, part of an upcoming border security and immigration bill, will introduce interim serious crime prevention orders allowing law enforcement to immediately impose restrictions on suspected smugglers. These orders could include bans on computer and phone usage, social media access, and associations with certain individuals, with breaches punishable by up to five years in prison. The announcement follows the arrival of 36,816 migrants in 2024, up from 29,437 in 2023. The Labour government, led by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, has focused on dismantling smuggling networks and improving cooperation with European allies, abandoning the previous Conservative government’s controversial Rwanda relocation scheme. Critics, however, argue that Labour has failed to control illegal immigration, with crossings remaining a significant issue.
- https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckg5wkk1g1go – People smugglers have exploited “fragmented” policing, border force and intelligence agencies to smuggle thousands of illegal migrants into the UK, the prime minister has said. Sir Keir Starmer said poor organisation had meant the UK was “a soft touch” on illegal migration, which smugglers took as an “open invitation”. The prime minister made the case for tackling illegal migration like terrorism as he spoke at the first ever Organised Immigration Crime Summit in London – attended by more than 40 countries alongside tech giants like Meta, X and TikTok. The Conservatives said the conference “will make no difference” and only Rwanda-style deportations would stop illegal migration. Sir Keir is keen for the UK to be seen as leading the global response to illegal migration – a key issue for the government politically, with both the Conservatives and Reform UK accusing Labour of failing to get a grip on the issue. Since winning the election in 2024, Sir Keir has pushed for treating illegal migration like terrorism, with increased cooperation across countries and enhanced police powers. The government has announced a series of agreements with other countries in an effort to tackle the number of illegal migrants entering the UK. But more than 6,000 people have crossed the Channel so far in 2025, making it a record start to a year for small boat arrivals. Sir Keir said joint cross-border criminal investigations involving UK authorities were “beginning to bear fruit”. Since July, the government said more than 24,000 individuals with no right to be in the UK had been deported. Launching a two-day summit at Lancaster House, the prime minister said he was “angry” about the scale of illegal migration. “It makes me angry, frankly, because it’s unfair on ordinary working people who pay the price – from the cost of hotels, to our public services struggling under the strain,” he said. Illegal migration was also “a massive driver of global insecurity” which “undermines our ability to control who comes here”, Sir Keir said.
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