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The recently announced agreement between the UK and Germany aims to tackle the problem of people smuggling gangs that have flourished in the English Channel. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper claims this new plan will enhance border security and ultimately save lives. The agreement criminalizes facilitating migrant smuggling from Germany to the UK, a move deemed essential by the Tory government following years of increasing illegal crossings.
Despite these optimistic assertions, there are critics, including Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp, who argue that the effort is inadequate. He emphasizes that without a deterrent—similar to the previously proposed Rwanda plan, which was scrapped by the current government—unauthorized crossings are likely to continue.