Under the agreement, France will significantly expand its coastal security presence, increasing the number of officers tackling irregular migration by more than 50% to reach 1,400 by 2029. The funding from United Kingdom will be partly conditional, with nearly a quarter tied to performance benchmarks assessing the effectiveness of French actions.

The deal follows months of negotiations between United Kingdom and France over renewing the Sandhurst Treaty, which governs British financial contributions toward efforts to prevent migrants from departing French shores.

British authorities have long argued that France needed to do more to stop departures, as crossings by small boats have become a politically sensitive issue in the UK. London had insisted on tighter oversight and conditions on how funds are deployed before agreeing to renew the framework, first signed in 2018 and extended in 2023.

According to the roadmap, funding allocations could be redirected if joint annual assessments determine that the measures fail to deliver sufficient results. French authorities also plan to deploy additional surveillance tools, including drones, helicopters and digital monitoring systems, to reduce departures, particularly those involving so-called “taxi boats.”

Under international maritime law, authorities are limited in their ability to intervene once vessels have left shore, focusing primarily on rescue operations to prevent loss of life.

Official British data shows that 41,472 people reached the UK via irregular small-boat crossings in 2025, the second-highest annual figure since such journeys were first recorded in 2018.

At least 29 migrants died attempting the crossing that year, according to figures compiled from French and British sources.

Shawn VanDiver, a U.S. military veteran who heads AfghanEvac, said he had been briefed that the administration of Donald Trump was weighing the proposal for more than 1,100 Afghans housed at a former U.S. base in Qatar.

The group includes individuals who had worked with U.S. forces and fear reprisals from the Taliban after their return to power in 2021.The administration had set a March 31 deadline to close the as-Sayliyah camp, which has served as a processing hub for Afghans seeking relocation to the United States following the collapse of the Western-backed Afghan government.

VanDiver criticized the reported plan, saying it would effectively pressure Afghans to return to their home country. “You do not relocate vetted wartime allies, more than 400 of them children, from American custody into a country in the middle of its own collapse,” he said.

The U.S. State Department did not confirm whether Congo was under consideration but said authorities were exploring “voluntary resettlement” options for those remaining in Qatar. A spokesperson described relocation to a third country as a potential pathway to safety while maintaining U.S. security priorities.

Democratic Senator Tim Kaine criticized the reported option, saying the United States had an obligation to protect Afghan partners who assisted during the two-decade conflict.More than 190,000 Afghans have been resettled in the United States since 2021 under a program initiated by Joe Biden, with most living without incident.

The effort initially drew bipartisan support but has since been affected by policy changes.The Trump administration has curtailed broader refugee resettlement programs and paused processing for some Afghan applicants following a fatal shooting incident in Washington last year involving an Afghan national.

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, nearly 900 Rohingya were reported dead or missing last year during dangerous sea crossings in the Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal the highest toll on record for the crisis.

More than 6,500 Rohingya attempted the journeys in 2025, with over one in seven perishing, making it the deadliest maritime route globally for refugees and migrants, the agency said.

Despite the risks, departures have continued into 2026, with more than 2,800 Rohingya already embarking on similar voyages by mid-April, often aiming to reach Malaysia, Indonesia or Thailand.

The surge in fatalities reflects a combination of factors, including ongoing violence in Myanmar, deteriorating conditions in overcrowded refugee camps in Bangladesh, and declining international aid. The UNHCR said its $200 million appeal for Rohingya support in 2026 remains significantly underfunded.

Recent incidents underscore the dangers. Earlier this month, about 250 people were reported missing after a boat carrying Rohingya capsized in the Andaman Sea, one of several deadly accidents linked to overcrowded vessels and rough conditions.

Overall, more than 1.3 million Rohingya remain displaced across the region, most of them in Bangladesh, where limited resources and uncertain futures continue to drive risky migration attempts.

The trawler, which departed from Teknaf in southern Bangladesh on April 4 and was bound for Malaysia, sank amid heavy winds, rough seas and overcrowding, the UN agency said in a statement. Preliminary information indicated that around 280 people were on board when the vessel went down.

The passengers were believed to include Rohingya refugees leaving overcrowded camps in Cox’s Bazar, where more than a million people displaced from Myanmar’s Rakhine State have been living in difficult conditions.

The Bangladesh Coast Guard said one of its vessels rescued nine survivors, including a woman, on April 9 after spotting individuals clinging to debris in waters near the Andaman Islands. Survivors were found floating on makeshift supports such as drums and logs after spending extended periods at sea.

One survivor, Rafiqul Islam, said traffickers had promised him employment in Malaysia before he boarded the vessel. He told AFP that passengers were confined in cramped conditions during the journey, with some dying before the boat capsized.

He said he endured burns from spilled oil and remained adrift for nearly 36 hours before being rescued.The incident highlights the ongoing movement of Rohingya refugees undertaking perilous sea journeys in search of safety and economic opportunity.

Malaysia remains a key destination for migrants from poorer parts of Asia, many of whom work in sectors such as construction and agriculture.The UNHCR said the tragedy reflects the broader consequences of prolonged displacement and limited pathways for safe return.

It called for renewed efforts to address the underlying causes of the Rohingya crisis and to create conditions for voluntary, safe and dignified repatriation to Myanmar.

The Andaman Sea, which borders Myanmar, Thailand and the Malay Peninsula, has seen repeated incidents involving migrant boats. Last year, the UNHCR reported that more than 400 Rohingya were feared dead in separate shipwrecks off Myanmar’s coast.

The survivors, who said their vessel had initially carried 105 people, were found clinging to the wreckage of an overturned boat before being taken aboard nearby ships, according to Mediterranea Saving Humans and Sea-Watch. The bodies and survivors were later transferred to an Italian coast guard patrol boat and brought to the island of Lampedusa.

Italy’s interior ministry declined to comment on the incident, while the Italian Coast Guard did not immediately respond to requests for confirmation. The rescue took place during Easter, a major holiday in Italy.

Footage released by Sea-Watch showed migrants struggling in open waters, with several individuals holding onto the partially submerged orange hull as rescuers approached.

The central Mediterranean route, one of the world’s deadliest migration corridors, has been further complicated this year by adverse weather conditions. Rough seas have reduced the number of departures from North Africa but increased the risks for those attempting the journey.

The International Organization for Migration estimates that at least 683 people have died along the central Mediterranean route so far this year, marking one of the highest death tolls recorded since 2014.

During oral arguments, several conservative justices signaled openness to the government’s request to revive the practice known as “metering,” which caps the number of migrants allowed to apply for asylum at official border crossings.

The U.S. Department of Justice argued the measure is a necessary tool to manage surges in migration and has been used under multiple administrations.

Critics, including immigration advocates, said the policy previously triggered a humanitarian crisis by forcing asylum seekers to wait in Mexico, often in makeshift camps, before being allowed to present claims.

The practice is not currently in force, and Trump has separately ordered a broader suspension of asylum processing during his second term.

The case centers on interpretation of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which guarantees that individuals who “arrive” in the United States may apply for asylum if they fear persecution. Government lawyers contend the provision applies only once migrants are physically inside U.S. territory, not when they are turned away at the border.

Attorneys representing migrants argued the law has long been understood to include individuals presenting themselves at ports of entry, and that restricting access violates statutory protections.

Justice Brett Kavanaugh questioned whether current interpretations create incentives for illegal entry over lawful arrival, while Chief Justice John Roberts pressed both sides on where legal eligibility for asylum begins.

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson raised procedural concerns, noting the absence of an active policy and questioning whether the court was evaluating hypothetical scenarios rather than a live dispute.

Metering was first introduced during the administration of Barack Obama and later expanded nationwide under Trump. The policy ended in 2020 amid pandemic-related restrictions and was formally rescinded by Joe Biden in 2021.

That same year, a federal district court ruled the practice unlawful, finding it violated both constitutional protections and federal asylum law. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit upheld the decision, though internal divisions among judges highlighted ongoing legal uncertainty.

The case is one of several major immigration disputes before the court this term, including challenges related to birthright citizenship and the administration’s efforts to roll back protections for migrants fleeing conflict and instability.U.S. law allows individuals granted asylum to remain in the country, work legally, reunite with immediate family members, and eventually seek permanent residency and citizenship.

The filings, tied to long-running litigation over migrant child detention standards, detail conditions at the Dilley detention facility, where children and families faced virus outbreaks and extended lockdowns in December and January.

Lawyers and monitors said conditions remained concerning even as the number of detained children declined in recent weeks.Under standards stemming from the Flores settlement, children are generally not to be held in custody for more than 20 days.

However, government data cited in the filings showed that about 595 children were detained beyond that limit during December and January.Of those, approximately 265 were held for more than 50 days and 55 for over 100 days, according to the documents.

This marked an increase from a prior disclosure indicating around 400 children exceeded the limit between August and September.Lawyers argued that prolonged detention, combined with reported deficiencies in care, risked worsening physical and psychological harm among minors.

Attorneys and advocacy groups cited cases of inadequate medical treatment, poor food quality and limited access to legal counsel. One filing described a 13-year-old girl who attempted self-harm after being denied prescribed antidepressants and access to her mother.

Government records referenced in the filings stated there had been no placements on suicide watch.Advocates who visited the facility in March said that while the number of detained children had dropped to about 85, systemic issues persisted. Reports also cited the presence of worms in food and insufficient healthcare access.

The case of a young child detained earlier this year drew protests, including demonstrations by detainees within the facility.

The Department of Homeland Security said in a statement that detention standards provide for basic necessities, including adequate food and water, and described detention as a consequence of migration choices.

It added that authorities were working to expedite deportations.The administration of Donald Trump is seeking to end the Flores settlement, arguing it constrains enforcement and imposes costs.

The case is being overseen by Dolly Gee of the Central District of California, with a hearing scheduled later this month to review compliance and conditions.