Around 80 migrants rescued in English Channel after making risky crossing from France in small boat
Associated PressJUN 2024
At Least 12 Migrants Die Trying to Cross English Channel
At Least 12 Migrants Die Trying to Cross English Channel
Above: Migrants in May 2024 were picked up in the English Channel by the Border Force. Image copyright: Dan Kitwood/Staff/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Spin
The British government is to blame for this tragedy. For years, it has responded to reports of migrant deaths with calls for tougher border security, resulting in asylum seekers taking more dangerous boat journeys. Those fleeing war and persecution will continue to attempt these trips, and it's up to French and British authorities to adopt policies that prevent these disasters.
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While terrible, these tragedies on the open seas garner too much of a percentage of media attention compared to crimes being committed by migrants flocking to the UK without regard for immigration laws or whether they'll be able to make a life for themselves. It will always be appropriate for Britain to control its borders by any means necessary.