Figures released by Kent County Council have shown that a large portion of illegal migrants crossing the channel into the county pretending to be minors are in fact adults.
According to the council’s figures, around a quarter of migrants claiming to be children coming from France were in fact over 18. In total, 1,668 migrants claimed to be children over the last five years, while it was later revealed that more than four hundred of these claimants lied to officials.
In an article from The Sunday Telegraph, a source at Kent County Council said: “Following age assessment, around 25 percent are assessed as being 18 or over. They will then almost definitely appeal this through the courts and the Council pays all the legal fees.”
Over the past year, more than 5,000 illegal immigrants are estimated to have arrived on British shores.
The current policy in the UK is to deport only adults over the age of 25, but minors can remain.
According to more of the Council’s figures, Kent has more than 600 under-18s under its supervision, whose upkeep is costing over £200,000 a month. Under-18s have the right to receive financial assistance in order to afford accommodation until the age of 25.
However, refugee support groups have questioned the figures from the Council. Kent Refugee Action Network told The Telegraph: “Age assessments are imprecise, subjective and arbitrary.
“In fact, the problem is not people pretending to be younger than they are, it’s age assessments that often put them as older than they are, and that has devastating consequences, leading to children in foster care being moved to adult accommodation.”
Home Secretary Priti Patel has said with regard to the current crisis in the Channel: “The number of illegal small boat crossings is appalling and unacceptably high. The figures are shameful. France and other EU states are safe countries. Genuine refugees should claim asylum there, not risk their lives and break the law by coming to the UK.”
