The United Kingdom’s aggressive strategy to halt small boat crossings has backfired, creating a deadlier environment for migrants while handing unprecedented control to criminal smuggling networks.

This is the stark conclusion of a comprehensive 176-page inquiry released today, which argues that the militarization of the English Channel is causing more harm than good. For Kenyans observing the tightening of Western borders, the findings offer a grim reality check: hardline deterrence policies are failing to stop desperate people, but they are succeeding in making their journeys more dangerous.

The High Cost of Deterrence

The report, spearheaded by the Humans for Rights Network alongside 23 other organizations operating across the UK and northern France, details a disturbing rise in state-sanctioned violence. It alleges that French police, bolstered by hundreds of millions of pounds—equating to tens of billions of Kenya Shillings (KES)—in British funding, are utilizing rubber bullets and teargas against unarmed asylum seekers.

Testimonies collected from doctors and migrants paint a picture of a border zone where humanitarian concern has been replaced by brute force. Yet, despite this heavy-handed approach, the boats have not stopped.

• 2025 Arrivals: Over 39,000 people have crossed the Channel in dinghies so far this year.
• Year-on-Year: This represents a rise from last year’s 37,000, though it remains below the 2022 record of 46,000.
• The Smuggler Paradox: Tighter security has forced migrants to rely more heavily on organized crime syndicates to navigate the increasingly militarized zone.

Empowering the Cartels

The findings align with data from the Mixed Migration Centre of the Danish Refugee Council, which recently warned that hardline migration policies are inadvertently fueling the very people smuggling trade they aim to crush. By closing safe avenues and hardening borders, governments are driving demand for illicit, high-risk crossings.

When reached for comment, the UK Home Office did not address the specific allegations of violence or the counter-productive nature of the funding. Instead, a spokesperson described the number of small boat crossings as “shameful,” maintaining the government’s stance on strict enforcement.

As the debate intensifies, the human cost continues to mount. The report suggests that without a shift in strategy, the cycle of spending billions of shillings to fortify borders will only yield more violence, richer smugglers, and a rising death toll in the Channel.