Today marks the launch of the latest phase of the government’s
global campaign to warn migrants of the consequences of entering
the UK illegally and counter the lies peddled by people smuggling
gangs.
Every year, thousands of people are sold lies by organised
criminal gangs who put profit before human life, smuggling people
to the UK across one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world,
the English Channel.
The Home Secretary has launched a new campaign that will be
rolled out in Vietnam, following successful social media activity
in Albania last year which contributed to a 90% reduction in
Albanian small boat arrivals.
Using real testimonies from those who regret coming to the UK
illegally, the adverts highlight the risks and consequences
people face if they turn to criminal gangs and attempt the
dangerous journey.
A migrant, referred to as K, shares his reality of sleeping in a
camp in Calais for five nights under supervision of armed guards,
before taking the long journey across the Channel to the UK. He
says: “Never again would I risk my life in a small boat, even if
you bribed me.”
An increasing proportion of small boat migrants are Vietnamese,
and they are one of the top ten nationalities for migrants
crossing the Channel illegally.
The latest phase of the campaign, which will begin today (Monday
25 March), will harness social media adverts on Facebook and
YouTube to directly target people who may be considering making
dangerous and illegal journeys to the UK.
The social media posts emphasise the consequences of travelling
to the UK illegally, dangers people can expect to face, and set
out the risks of being indebted to and exploited by the people
smuggling gangs who profit from facilitating small boat
crossings.
Home Secretary
said:
“This is a powerful campaign which demonstrates first-hand that
life for people arriving here illegally is a far cry from the
lies they have been sold by the gangs on the other side of the
Channel.
"Last year, similar work contributed to a 90% reduction in small
boat arrivals from Albania, and overall numbers are down by a
third, but there is more to do.
"Expanding our campaign to Vietnam, another key partner in our
work to tackle illegal migration, will help us to save more lives
and dent the business model of the criminals who profit from this
vile trade."
The campaign warns prospective migrants of the reality of living
in the UK illegally with no right to be in the UK and no access
to public services or funding.
It includes testimonies from Home Office Immigration Enforcement
and Border Force officers, who all too often encounter illegal
migrants who have been sold into modern slavery or illegal
working by their smugglers.
Illegal migrants can be forced to live in inhumane, cramped and
hazardous conditions by criminal gangs, with no access to basic
hygiene, healthcare or legal employment.
The campaign’s social media adverts direct users to a new website with additional
video content from Immigration Enforcement and Border Force
officers who describe some of the shocking cases they’ve
encountered and their experiences of rescuing small boat migrants
from life-threatening danger in the Channel.
This stage of the campaign follows successful social media
activity by the UK Government in Albania, France and Belgium, and
is the latest step in the UK’s efforts to work jointly with
countries across the world to tackle the global migration
crisis.
Similar campaigns are also being considered for other priority
countries.
UK and Vietnamese authorities already work closely to prevent
illegal journeys to the UK and remove those with no right to be
here.
Senior officials from the UK and Vietnam are due to meet in
London on 17 April, to discuss working in even closer partnership
on migration issues.
ENDS
Notes to editors:
Campaign
- The information communications campaign will launch this
week, with targeted social media adverts in Vietnam.
- In December 2022, the Prime Minister announced the doubling
of funding to the NCA to tackle organised immigration
crime.
- Social media companies have a responsibility to remove
content that promotes and helps to fund illegal and criminal
activity.
Some examples of materials in the new campaign can be found
here.
Illegal Migration Act
- The new Illegal Migration Act will put a stop to illegal
migration into the UK by removing the incentive to make dangerous
small boat crossings. It will allow quicker removal of those with
no right to be here and crack down on opportunities to abuse
modern slavery protections.
Immigration Enforcement
- Immigration Enforcement plays a crucial part in preventing
illegal entry through investigation work.
- In 2023 alone, Home Office Immigration Enforcement convicted
141 people smugglers, this includes 80 individuals for piloting
small boats.
For further information, contact the Home
Office Press Office on 0300 123 3535, or 07623 514 628 out of
hours.
