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THE small boat migrant who crossed TWICE into Britain has still not been deported, a minister admitted today.
The Iranian national was removed under the “one in, one out” deal with France but two weeks ago sneaked back across the Channel.
Despite Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood vowing to return him immediately, he is still in the UK at taxpayers’ expense.
Border Security Minister Alex Norris told Sky News: “He hasn’t gone yet but he will be removed.
“I wouldn’t want to give a specific timeline, but we are removing him as soon as possible.”
The Iranian was first detained on August 6 and removed on September 19. He then returned via small boat on October 18.
Mr Norris rejected accusations the double-crossing makes a mockery of the French deal, which has so far only deported a few dozen migrants.
He said: “The reality is people are always going to test your front door, test your boundaries. This person’s done that, and totally wasted their time in doing so.”
He added: “He’s wasting a lot of his own time. He’s come through, he was detected immediately at the front door, he was detained, and he will be removed from this country. He hasn’t gone yet but he will be removed.”
It is understood Labour hopes to return him to France within days, but it will only fuel concerns about the French agreement.
The “one-in, one-out” deal was designed to send illegal Channel arrivals back to France in exchange for the same number of asylum seekers being accepted legally from there.
Around 11,000 asylum seekers have crossed the Channel in the period the UK has sent back around 50 to France.
When the Iranian was revealed to have arrived back in Britain last week, it prompted scorn from opposition parties.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said: “Does that mean we now have to take two people from France to return him?
“This Labour Government is in total chaos – no backbone, no plan and too weak to take the tough decisions to secure our borders.”
And Reform UK leader Nigel Farage also hit out: “This shows Keir Starmer’s one in, one out policy is a total abject failure. Illegals are laughing at us.
Sir Keir Starmer is under pressure to curb illegal migration, which is on track to be a record year.
He said yesterday he is hopeful of striking Rwanda-style deals with countries soon — as he lines up military barracks to house migrants.
The PM said he has instructed Government departments to go “further and faster” to get asylum seekers out of hotels and deport those with no right to stay.
Asked if a deal similar to the Rwanda plan, which Labour scrapped last year, was on the horizon, Sir Keir told The Sun: “I hope so.
“There’s no silver bullet, but we need to work with other countries to break the gangs in the first place.”
Talks with Balkan nations to host return hubs last week failed to secure a deal.
But it is understood discussions to find a country willing to take on processing of failed asylum seekers will continue.
