Almost 1,700 small boat migrants have crossed the English Channel illegally in the past week.
For the seventh straight day, Border Force responded to more migrant crossings on Friday.
More than 50 migrants have arrived so far, following 230 who made the crossing in four small boats yesterday.
More than 3,700 Channel migrants have made the journey from France since January 1, the biggest number of arrivals at this point in the year since the crisis began in 2016.
Almost 1,700 small boat migrants have crossed the English Channel illegally in the past week
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The latest arrivals come as the Government signs a new “road map” agreement with France, aimed at bolstering co-operation to tackle people smuggling as small boat crossings.
It follows a meeting this week in Paris between the UK's new Border security commander Martin Hewitt and the French special representative on migration Patrick Stefanini.
The Home Office said the “road map” agreed by Hewitt and Stefanini identified four top priorities for border control.
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They are “disrupting criminal gangs, deterring illegal migrants from taking the dangerous journey, ensuring the effective and prompt return of irregular migrants to source and transit countries, and tackling the root cause” of irregular movement, the department said.
The two men set a date for a “plenary meeting” between British and French representatives due to take place in May, as part of the new agreement to strengthen partnership between the two countries on migration.
This year's small boat arrivals are up around 17 per cent on the same period in 2024.
For the seventh straight day, Border Force responded to more migrant crossings on Friday
PAThe highest number arriving in one day this year so far stands at 592 people who crossed the Channel in 11 boats on March 2.
A Home Office spokesperson said: “We all want to end dangerous small boat crossings, which threaten lives and undermine our border security.
“We are delivering real change in our approach through legislation to create new tools, powers, offences and enforcement action which will keep us one step ahead of the people-smuggling gangs.”
