Human rights organisations say hundreds of asylum seekers sent back to France under the UK's 'one in, one out' scheme, including at least 41 age-disputed children, have disappeared.
Key facts
- Hundreds of asylum seekers removed to France under the 'one in, one out' deal have disappeared, according to NGOs.
- At least 41 of those who vanished are age-disputed children.
- The pilot scheme was announced in July 2025 by then-prime minister Keir Starmer and French president Emmanuel Macron.
- The treaty forcibly returns one small-boat asylum seeker to France in exchange for one asylum seeker brought legally to the UK from France.
Hundreds of asylum seekers who were removed from the UK to France under the government’s ‘one in, one out’ deal have disappeared, human rights organisations have said, according to the Guardian.
Among those who have vanished are at least 41 age-disputed children, the organisations said, raising concerns about the welfare of vulnerable people returned under the arrangement.
The ‘one in, one out’ pilot scheme was announced in July 2025 by the former prime minister Keir Starmer and the French president, Emmanuel Macron. At the time, Starmer hailed the agreement as ‘groundbreaking’.
Under a treaty drawn up for the agreement, the scheme forcibly returns one small-boat asylum seeker to France in exchange for another asylum seeker brought legally to the UK from France.
The disappearances have prompted concern among the human rights groups monitoring the deal, particularly over the fate of the age-disputed children among those removed.
Why it matters
The reported disappearances raise serious questions about the safety and oversight of a flagship migration policy, especially where vulnerable children may be involved. It puts renewed scrutiny on how governments track and protect people returned under cross-border asylum agreements.
Frequently asked questions
What is the 'one in, one out' deal?
It is a pilot scheme, announced in July 2025 by Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron, under which the UK forcibly returns one small-boat asylum seeker to France in exchange for another asylum seeker brought legally to the UK from France.
How many people have disappeared?
Human rights organisations say hundreds of asylum seekers removed to France under the deal have disappeared, including at least 41 age-disputed children.
Who announced the scheme?
The scheme was announced in July 2025 by the then-prime minister Keir Starmer and French president Emmanuel Macron, and was described by Starmer as 'groundbreaking'.