English Channel migrant crossings hit new single-day record: UK
Al JazeeraNov 26, 2022
The Facts
The UK Defense Ministry said on Tues. that 1,295 migrants had been detected crossing the English Channel from France. The number is the highest ever recorded, up more than 100 from the previous single-day record of 1,185 set on Nov. 11, 2021.
The total for the month now stands at 6,168 and at least 22.5k on the year, up from 3,683 last month and 12.5k at this time last year. According to one BBC report, most were "young men," along with some families.
The Spin
Right narrative
Although France had promised to help stop this egregious industry of people smuggling between the two countries, it's now clear that those pledges were empty. With Albanian gangs, on top of the usual groups from Africa, now known to be contributing to this crisis, the British government must take its own strong actions to end this illegal activity.
Left narrative
Those making the dangerous trip across the English Channel aren't illegal aliens, they're refugees from poor, war-torn parts of the world. As such, they should be treated with dignity and welcomed into Britain with open arms, not treated like criminals and deported to nations like Rwanda, where their human rights will continue to be under threat.
