“The news announcing the agreement between the UK and France comes as no great surprise, but is nonetheless no less worrying. The seemingly increased militarisation of the Channel through drones and patrols raises questions about the welfare of those seeking safety. It is completely wrong to criminalise people for seeking safety when the UK government has deliberately made it difficult to come here. 

Throwing money at this agreement instead of investing in safe routes is the issue. Sadly, any deaths or people falling into the hands of traffickers will be at the hands of Fortress Europe, including the U.K. and France. 

At MRN, we promise to stand firm and challenge the policies that continue to make the lives of refugees and migratised people unbearable. We will defy the language that sews hostility and suspicion towards those forced to make  the dangerous journey across the Channel through our innovative Words Matter campaign.” – Fizza Qureshi, CEO of the Migrants’ Rights Network