Second Deportation to France Under UK–France “One In, One Out” Agreement

An Eritrean man has been deported from the United Kingdom to France, becoming the second person removed under the new “one in, one out” pilot agreement between London and Paris. The Home Office confirmed that the individual was flown from Heathrow to Paris on Friday morning after the High Court rejected his appeal for interim relief against removal.

The development comes a day after an Indian national, who had arrived in Britain on a small boat in August, was sent back to France in the first deportation carried out under the deal. The bilateral arrangement, signed in July, stipulates that for every asylum seeker approved to travel legally from France to the UK, one person will be returned to France if they are found to have entered the UK unlawfully.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood welcomed the move, insisting that the government was determined to enforce immigration rules and resist what she described as “last-minute, vexatious attempts” to delay deportations through legal challenges. She said the deportations should serve as a warning that entering the UK illegally will not guarantee settlement.

However, legal resistance continues. Earlier this week, another Eritrean man successfully secured a temporary block on his removal after the High Court acknowledged there was a serious issue to be examined regarding claims of trafficking. By contrast, judges in the latest case dismissed the deportee’s challenge, citing inconsistencies in his account.

The “one in, one out” scheme is part of Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s broader plan to tackle irregular Channel crossings, which have increased in recent years despite heightened surveillance and enforcement. While ministers argue the deal will help restore order to the asylum system, critics have raised concerns over the humanitarian and legal implications of swift removals.