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The government is planning to introduce a new offence that could see individuals advertising illegal Channel crossings online facing up to five years in prison. This move is part of a larger effort to crack down on the increasing number of migrants using small boats to reach the UK, with more than 25,000 migrants having arrived in the UK via small boats in 2025 so far, a record for this point in the year.
The proposed UK-wide offence would make it illegal to create material for publication online that promotes or offers services facilitating the breach of UK immigration law. This could include advertisements on social media for fake passports, visas, or illegal work opportunities in the UK. The Home Office’s analysis suggests that around 80% of migrants arriving in the UK through small boats have used social media during their journey, often connecting with agents linked to people-smuggling gangs.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has condemned the immoral practice of selling false promises of safe journeys and a better life in the UK, whether online or offline, for profit. The National Crime Agency (NCA) has been working closely with social media companies to take down posts promoting organized immigration crime, with thousands of posts removed in 2024. The proposed new offence aims to give authorities more tools to target criminal gangs and disrupt their business models.
While the government seeks to strengthen measures against illegal crossings, critics argue that these actions may not be enough to address the issue effectively. The challenges posed by migrants using small boats to reach the UK have prompted discussions with France to reduce these crossings. A recent agreement between Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron offers to return some migrants who arrive on small boats back to France, with France reciprocating by sending an asylum seeker to the UK for each migrant returned. However, skeptics question whether this scheme will deter migrants, as it only addresses a small fraction of those currently making the crossing
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