The UK launches new social media campaign to prevent irregular migration
WVR - People smugglers’ lies will be debunked at every stage of the migrant journey in a new international campaign to stop dangerous small boat crossings, as the government fixes the foundations and secures the UK’s borders.
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| The UK Government is leading the way in deterrence communications to prevent irregular migration upstream. (Photo: Telegraph) |
Following the success of the UK Government’s global campaign in March 2024, on 16 December 2024, the Home Office launched a series of social media adverts to warn migrants of the consequences of entering the UK illegally and counter the lies peddled by people-smuggling gangs.
The campaign will ramp up next year to inform prospective migrants at every stage of the journey about the risks and realities of entering the UK illegally. It will be adapted to audiences across the migrant journey, to influence decision making and drive behaviour change. Diaspora communities in the UK will also be informed about the dangers their friends and families overseas face from people smugglers, helping to stop the spread of misinformation about opportunities in the UK.
UK Minister for Border Security and Asylum, Dame Angela Eagle, said: “This campaign hits people smugglers where it hurts, exposing their lies and cutting off their supply of victims. By sharing the experiences of real victims of these gangs we will warn migrants at every stage of the journey about the dangers of coming to the UK illegally.
Working hand in hand with our international partners, we are breaking the smugglers’ business model, securing our borders and delivering on our Plan for Change. Too many people have died in the English Channel at the hands of these criminals, and we will stop at nothing to bring them to justice.”
UK Border Security Commander, Martin Hewitt, said: “Our new border approach targets criminal gangs at every step, operating across borders and working closely with international partners. Communications are a key part of this work, sending a clear message to rospective migrants that these criminals cannot be trusted.
Criminal gangs who abuse our borders are responsible for the deaths of scores of ulnerable, innocent people. We will dismantle them, bring them to justice and prevent them from using exploitation and deceit to fill their pockets.”
| The Home Office said it had ramped up the UK-wide raids over 2024, carrying out 3,188 visits that resulted in 2,299 arrests between July 5 and Oct 31 this year. There were 2,371 visits with 1,836 arrests for the same period in 2023. |
Founder and CEO of the Vietnamese Family Partnership (VFP), Quynh Giao Nguyen, said: “As representatives of the Vietnamese community in the UK, we support these crucial efforts to prevent irregular migration. Our community understands theimportance of legal routes, and we are committed to sharing this message with families in Vietnam. We aim to inform and support our community by highlighting the dangers of illegal migration and the importance of seeking legal and safe pathways."
Communications are an integral part of the government’s work to prevent irregular migration at source and break the business model of the criminal gangs.
Through the Border Security Command, the government is working on a whole system approach, preventing irregular migration through communications, arming law enforcement with the powers it needs, and increasing international collaboration to tackle this issue across borders.
The communications campaign will also warn prospective migrants about the realities of illegal working, as the government cracks down on employers who break the law.
