Source: Fortune
Summary
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has increased the number of National Crime Agency officers combating human smuggling to almost 800, up from 376 in 2025. Burnham aims to address small-boat crossings and offer support for people who genuinely need it. The issue of illegal migration has been a political flashpoint in the UK, with Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party gaining support by promising to detain and deport arrivals. Despite a decrease in small-boat migrant numbers this year, Burnham and Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood are working to secure the border and increase deportations.
Our Reading
The numbers tell one story.
The UK government’s efforts to combat human smuggling have increased, with 70,000 deportations since Labour took power in 2024. The National Crime Agency has made almost 300 arrests and seized over 1,109 small boats and engines bound for people smugglers. Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood are taking a “relentless” approach to addressing small-boat crossings. The issue of illegal migration has become a political flashpoint in the UK, with Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party gaining support. The government’s actions are a response to public concern about border control.
Politics has become a numbers game, where arrests and deportations are the new metrics for success.
Author: Evan Null
