Almost 150 migrants have managed to cross the English Channel over the weekend

LONDON, July 10. (DPA/EP) –

A total of 146 migrants, including women and children, have managed to cross this weekend in three inflatable boats the dangerous route from the English Channel to the United Kingdom.

With these arrivals, the number of migrants confirmed by the British Ministry of Defense brings the total so far this year to 13,270, compared to 6,659 at this point in 2021 and 2,459 in 2020.

On Friday, Downing Street confirmed that the Home Office agreement with Rwanda for the forced removal of migrants remains in place despite the resignation of Boris Johnson.

Ministry sources have assured that the first deportation flight could be carried out before the legal appeal against the policy is heard on July 19.

“This is a pre-agreed government policy. The convention does not prevent or prevent the government from attempting to comply with that policy and that would include defending cases in court as necessary,” they explained.

In April, Home Secretary Priti Patel signed what she called an “unprecedented” deal to send migrants believed to have arrived in the UK illegally to Rwanda. The first deportation flight, due to take off in June, was grounded for resources.

Steve Valdez-Symonds of Amnesty International UK has urged the government to rethink the “disastrous plan”, saying it was “irresponsible and insensitive”.

“The UK government is so far from reality and lacks humanity. It is not only destroying the asylum system but also people’s lives,” he lamented.