A new investigation has revealed that several asylum seekers removed from the UK to France under the government’s “one in, one out” treaty include victims of modern slavery, people suffering from severe mental health conditions, and individuals with close family members living in Britain.
The report, published by Humans for Rights Network (HFRN), raises serious concerns about the legality and morality of recent removals, suggesting that British authorities may have failed to properly assess vulnerabilities before deporting migrants to France.
Researchers from HFRN interviewed 12 of the 24 people returned to France in mid-October. Many of them had been detained in the UK before being flown out under the controversial agreement, which came into effect on August 6.
The group of deportees was initially housed in makeshift accommodation in Paris — a marquee pitched next to a railway line — while awaiting further processing by French authorities.
According to the report, several deported asylum seekers described distressing conditions, lack of access to legal advice, and confusion over their asylum status in France.
HFRN said at least three of the men they interviewed had family members living in the UK, including siblings and an aunt, while others were struggling with mental illness and physical disabilities.
One Iranian man told The Daily National News that he had been reunited with his sister for the first time in more than ten years when she visited him in a UK detention center. Days later, he was deported to France under the new policy.
The man has since returned to the UK and is being held in immigration detention once again, where he has been referred to the national referral mechanism for victims of trafficking.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said the government plans to expedite his removal back to France, even as campaigners warn that the case highlights systemic flaws in the deportation process.
The “one in, one out” treaty between the UK and France allows British authorities to swiftly detain and remove small boat arrivals, while accepting an equal number of asylum seekers through a “safe and legal” route.
Under the agreement, each deported asylum seeker is supposed to be matched by one legally resettled in the UK from France, subject to security and background checks.
HFRN’s findings suggest that the system is not functioning as intended and that vulnerable people are being removed without proper assessments.
“Overwhelmingly these men were distressed and confused,” the report stated. “Some had no contact with their lawyers, while others did not know whether their legal representatives had taken action on their behalf.”
The charity said at least four of those interviewed claimed to be victims of human trafficking, having suffered exploitation in Libya, Ethiopia, and Yemen before reaching Europe.
One man was blind in one eye, while two others suffered from severe depression. Another said he was experiencing suicidal thoughts after being returned to France.
HFRN concluded that “many of the men they engaged with have significant case facts indicating their removal should never have taken place.”
The report also accused the Home Office of failing to properly investigate accounts of torture provided by some of the men before their deportation.
In recent weeks, the Home Office has continued to return asylum seekers to France under the same agreement. Forty-two people were flown to France last week, in exchange for twenty-three asylum seekers brought to Britain through the legal route.
Initially, deportations were carried out on Air France commercial flights. Officials have since begun using private charter planes to expedite removals from detention centers.
A spokesperson for Gatwick Detainees Welfare Group told The Daily National News that asylum seekers returned to France were not being given sufficient guidance on how to claim asylum or access legal aid.
“People in France have reported that they cannot access medical care, do not understand what is happening with their cases, and are frightened of being harmed or found by smugglers,” the spokesperson said. “Some are so desperate they say they will try to cross the Channel again.”
HFRN’s report cites testimony from an asylum seeker now relocated from Paris to Marseille, who said many deportees fear being expelled again to other European countries where they were previously fingerprinted.
“We don’t know what is happening to us,” he said. “Many people have already left the accommodation because they are afraid of being sent somewhere else. Some are now sleeping on the streets.”
Charities and legal experts have called for an immediate review of the removals policy, arguing that the government may be breaching its obligations under the Refugee Convention and modern slavery laws.
Advocates have urged the Home Office to suspend deportations until proper safeguards are introduced to identify trafficking victims and those with family ties in the UK.
The Home Office has been approached for comment but has not yet issued a response.
