BBC
The UK has signed a new deal with Iraq aimed at speeding up the return of migrants with no right to be in the country.
It builds on previous efforts to cooperate on tackling smuggling gangs and deterring people from crossing the Channel in small boats.
More than 27,000 people have made the dangerous journey so far this year, up from around 18,000 in the same period last year.
The Conservatives described the deal as "measly" , saying "barely any" small boat arrivals are now Iraqi.
The number of Iraqis making the crossing fell to 1,900 in the year ending March 2025, down from 2,600 in the previous year, according to the Home Office.
The government said this demonstrated the effectiveness of cooperation between the two countries on tackling illegal migration.
It builds on previous efforts to cooperate on tackling smuggling gangs and deterring people from crossing the Channel in small boats.
More than 27,000 people have made the dangerous journey so far this year, up from around 18,000 in the same period last year.
The Conservatives described the deal as "measly" , saying "barely any" small boat arrivals are now Iraqi.
The number of Iraqis making the crossing fell to 1,900 in the year ending March 2025, down from 2,600 in the previous year, according to the Home Office.
The government said this demonstrated the effectiveness of cooperation between the two countries on tackling illegal migration.
