It is the latest milestone to be reached after record numbers of people have made the dangerous journey so far this year.
The number of migrants arriving in the UK after crossing the English Channel has topped 30,000 in record time.
It is the latest milestone to be reached after record numbers of people have made the dangerous journey so far this year, despite ministers seeking to crack down on people smuggling gangs.
Some 1,097 migrants crossed the Channel in 17 boats on Saturday, bringing the total in 2025 so far to 30,100, Home Office figures show.
This is up 37% on this point last year (22,028) and 37% higher than at this stage in 2023 (21,918), according to PA news agency analysis.
It is the earliest point in a calendar year at which the 30,000 mark has been passed since data on Channel crossings was first reported in 2018.
Last year, the figure was not passed until October 30 and in 2023 it was never reached as crossings totalled 29,437 for the whole year.
In 2022, the number was reached on September 21.
The record arrivals come as Shabana Mahmood was newly appointed as Home Secretary on Friday, as part of a major Government reshuffle in the wake of Angela Rayner’s resignation.
The former justice secretary is expected to unveil plans to move asylum seekers from hotels into military barracks as the Government seeks to harden its immigration policy amid rising numbers of crossings.
Before the Cabinet shake-up, former home secretary Yvette Cooper announced plans to change the rules for family reunion for refugees, and suspended new applications to the existing route earlier this week.
Meanwhile, the migrants returns deal with France, which took effect in August, is yet to begin the first removals of people back to the continent.
The latest arrivals signal the scale of the challenge for the new Home Secretary, after discontent over the summer with how the Government has addressed small boat crossings and housed asylum seekers in hotels, which has led to a wave of protests and criticism from Labour’s political opponents.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has said he wants to speed up efforts to empty asylum hotels before the next election, but has not committed to a date.
