The number of people smuggled into the UK via the English Channel in the first quarter has decreased by 17 percent compared to the same quarter last year, official figures show.
The crossings during the 90-day period this year and last year occurred on exactly the same number of days, suggesting the reduction may not be due to weather conditions.
It comes as the government is fighting legal challenges over plans to house illegal immigrants in disused military bases and deport asylum seekers to Rwanda.
According to provisional figures published by the Home Office, a total of 91 boats were detected between January and March this year, carrying 3,791 illegal immigrants onboard. It’s almost 17 percent less compared to the number of small boat arrivals in the same months last year (4,548)….