more than 40,000 exiles have already crossed the channel this year, which is a record

Never had so many refugees made the dangerous crossing. The number of migrants crossing the Channel in makeshift boats to reach Britain surpassed the 40,000 mark this year, a record, the UK Ministry of Defense announced on Sunday (November 13).

According to government data, 972 people crossed the canal in 22 small vessels on Saturday, bringing the total to 40,885 since January 1. Last year, 28,526 crossings were counted, which was already a record.

These ever-increasing numbers are putting pressure on the British government. The Conservatives have made dealing with immigration one of their top priorities since Brexit, and the asylum system is more overwhelmed than ever.

Successive Tory governments have considered everything and dropped some highly controversial, illegal or unworkable ideas, such as pushing boats out of British waters with artificial waves, locking migrants on ocean liners offshore or sending them to remote islands.

Recent revelations about overcrowded reception centers have caused controversy in the UK, where the population remains largely in favor of accepting exiles. Interior Minister Suella Braverman, far right, was also shocked to call“invasion” the influx of migrants arriving in the United Kingdom, rated comments “terrible” by the United Nations.

The subject is a point of tension between London and Paris, although the two countries have called it quits “some progress” to find a new agreement on the issue, Friday in a joint press release.