A new law is being brought forward by the Immigration Minister Chris Phip, which will become a substitute to the European Union’s Dublin regulation (Dublin III). This law is to ban asylum demands from migrants and prospective refugees rescued in the English waters while trying to cross the English Channel. These demands will be rejected because migrants should apply for asylum in the first EU country they reach. This legislative provision is very similar to the Dublin procedure, which also stipulates that displaced people should form the asylum demand in the first EU country they reach. What makes this law tougher, is that the displaced cannot even claim asylum in the sea. This law could be
seen in the context of one of the basic reasons Brexit occurred: the demand to stop the free movement of people, and therefore limit immigration.
This law could result in migrant boats being returned to France since the United Kingdom has been calling for the French to do more to stop the crossings through the English Channel. Nevertheless, the United Kingdom and France failed to agree on the point of whether boats can be intercepted, due to a dispute over the interpretation of maritime law. More precisely, the way the French are interpreting the law prevents them from stopping boats even if they are some meters away from the French coast. Home Secretary Priti Patel said that the UK is ‘fundamentally looking at changing ways of working with France’ to improve the situation concerning boats since she believes ‘intercepting and returning the boats’ is the only way to stop migrants from attempting to cross the sea border.
Chris Philp, the minister behind this law told the newspaper The Telegraph that the UK was determined to make its asylum system firm for those who were entering the country illegally but fair for those who respect the legal procedure. He added that there is no reason for these people to leave France, as well as that the measures that are going to be taken are trying to tackle the increase of boats crossing the English channel.
