The United Kingdom has entered into a new agreement with the Government of Iraq to quickly return migrants who do not have legal permission to stay in the country. The deal was signed during a visit by Iraq’s Deputy Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein and aims to strengthen the partnership between both countries in managing migration issues. According to the Home Office, this step builds on ongoing efforts to stop criminal gangs and prevent people from risking dangerous journeys across the Channel.
So far this year, more than 27,000 people have taken the risky trip to the UK in small boats, compared to 18,000 during the same period last year. Some people believe the number of small boat crossings may still rise before the end of the year. A representative from the Conservatives called the new agreement “measly” and suggested that very few of the crossings now involve Iraqi nationals.
The Home Office explained that the number of crossings by Iraqis is lower than it used to be. It said that only 1,900 Iraqis made the journey in the 12 months up to March 2025, compared with 2,600 the year before. This drop was presented as proof that both countries are already working well together to stop people-smuggling.
Some people might ask: Does this new deal mean that all Iraqi migrants will immediately be deported? The answer is no. A person can still apply for asylum in the UK if they can prove that they will be at risk of serious harm or persecution in their home country. Recent figures show that 26% of Iraqi migrants who arrived in the UK were granted asylum at the initial decision stage.
Labour said the agreement forms part of a wider strategy to remove people who do not qualify to remain in the country. More than 35,000 people with no legal right to stay have already been returned during Labour’s first year in government, which represents a 14% increase from the previous year.
Officials believe that many smuggling operations across Europe are run by Iraqi Kurdish groups. Last year, the UK Government agreed to spend £800,000 to support Iraqi law enforcement and strengthen their border controls in order to reduce criminal activities.
Home Office minister Dan Jarvis said that working closely together on security, development and migration issues would help both countries address shared concerns. He added that the two governments are committed to fighting organised crime as well as irregular migration.
Last month, the UK also made a separate agreement with France that allows the return of some small boat arrivals in exchange for accepting the same number of asylum seekers from France. These joint efforts underline the government’s broader approach to managing migration more effectively and improving international cooperation on this issue.