In 2024, a total of 36,816 individuals crossed the English Channel in small boats, marking an increase from 2023 but fewer than in 2022. This year recorded the highest fatalities on record, with 77 known deaths. Officials from the Refugee Council advocate for safer routes amidst increasing criticism of the government’s immigration policies. Following the Labour Party’s abandonment of a controversial plan to deport migrants to Rwanda, Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp accused the government of failing to address illegal immigration effectively.