Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood visited the National Crime Agency (NCA) headquarters in Stratford, east London, on Sunday and set out a renewed drive to tighten the UK’s maritime border controls, saying she would take all necessary steps to reduce crossings in the Channel.
Political pledge and operational change
During the visit Ms Mahmood framed the Government’s approach as one of intensified action and reform. She signalled a significant expansion of the NCA’s role, saying the agency would see its workforce increased to bolster efforts to disrupt migrant-smuggling networks and deter departures in small boats.
“I think the most important thing that people need to hear from their Home Secretary is that I’m doing whatever it takes to secure our border,”
The Home Secretary described her focus as “laser-like”, and said she had been pursuing changes to the immigration system intended to reduce the factors that encourage people to attempt Channel crossings. She also acknowledged that further reforms would be required.
Numbers cited by the Home Office
Ms Mahmood pointed to rising removals since the current Government took office as evidence of movement on enforcement. She said deportations were up by 41% since Labour formed the administration in 2024, with the total number of people removed exceeding 70,000.
On arrivals, she referenced recent crossings, saying roughly 2,000 people had crossed the Channel since the appointment of the Prime Minister on 20 July. She also expressed concern about fatalities, noting that four migrants had died attempting the crossing in recent days and describing those deaths as tragedies.
| Statistic | Figure |
|---|---|
| Increase in removals since 2024 | 41% |
| Total deportations cited | 70,000+ |
| Crossings since 20 July | 2,000 |
| Recent deaths trying to cross | 4 |
Reaction and context
The Government’s emphasis on enforcement has drawn criticism from charities and humanitarian organisations in the past, which have argued more investment is needed in rescue and asylum-processing capacity rather than a purely enforcement-led response. The Home Secretary acknowledged concern among the public when images of Channel crossings appear in the media.
- Ms Mahmood announced a build-up of NCA staffing to tackle people-smuggling operations.
- She stressed simultaneous work on immigration reform to reduce the incentives for crossings.
- The Home Office continues to cite removal figures as evidence of increased enforcement.
The Home Secretary and senior NCA officers presented equipment seized under operations targeting organised facilitation of illegal migration as part of the briefing. The Government’s next steps include both operational expansion and pursuing legislative reforms, but the details and timetable for those reforms were not set out during the visit.
Reporting remains focused on the balance between operational disruption of smugglers, the humanitarian risks posed by Channel crossings and the impact of policy changes on arrivals and removals. The figures and commitments announced on Sunday will form part of discussions in Parliament and among stakeholders in the weeks ahead.
