Sunak Strikes Border Patrol Deal With Macron To Curb Channel Migration

British and French leaders have reached an agreement to step up border patrols in northern France to combat illegal migration across the English Channel, reports Bloomberg News.

Under the new accord unveiled on Monday by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and French President Emmanuel Macron, British border patrol agents will be deployed to northern France for the first time for joint operations with their French counterparts.

The agreement calls for a 40 percent increase in border patrols along beaches in northern France and will cost the British government an estimated 63 million pounds (US$74 million).

Sunak also announced plans for additional investment in port security infrastructure, including closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras, drones and night-vision goggles.

Immigration has been a controversial issue in the U.K. At least 40,000 people have reportedly landed on England’s south coast this year, many facilitated by criminal groups.

Sunak said the agreement was the start of greater cooperation with France.