Some 11,920 attempted entries by illegal immigrants were recorded in the first four months of 2014 at UK ports and at Calais, the closest French town to the United Kingdom, the newspaper reported, citing official figures obtained from the country’s Home Office on Thursday.
According to the figures obtained by The Telegraph under a freedom of information request, 9,632 migrants attempted to enter the United Kingdom in 2011 to 2012, compared to 19,003 by 2013. The numbers are expected to exceed 35,000 by the end of 2014, as reported by the newspaper.
“There needs to be more effective identification and removal of those who have no right to remain in the UK,” Vine stated in the report.
A Home Office spokesperson was quoted by the Telegraph as saying that the United Kingdom was making significant investments in ports in Northern France, where Calais is situated, and has prevented 18,000 migrants from illegally entering the country as of April 2014.
The United Kingdom is one of the most popular destinations for migrants due to perceived favorable social benefits, from free health care to a generous welfare system. Currently, there are some 2,500 African migrants in Calais seeking entry into the United Kingdom, the newspaper reported.
