UK PM Keir Starmer calls for global crackdown on people-smugglers

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has issued a stark warning about the threat posed by people-smuggling gangs that ferry migrants across the English Channel. Speaking to law enforcement representatives from nearly 200 nations, Starmer likened people-smuggling to terrorism, asserting that “the world needs to wake up to the severity of this challenge.”

“People-smuggling should be viewed as a global security threat similar to terrorism,” he said, vowing to treat it with a counterterrorism approach that includes closer international collaboration and enhanced powers for law enforcement.

Starmer announced a doubling of the U.K. Border Security Command’s budget to £150 million ($194 million), aimed at funding advanced surveillance equipment and 100 specialized investigators. This renewed focus comes amid record numbers of Channel crossings, with over 31,000 migrants making the perilous journey in 2024 alone. At least 56 lives have been lost in the attempt this year, marking it as the deadliest on record.

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In light of Brexit, which strained the U.K.’s law enforcement ties with the EU, Starmer also highlighted plans to pursue a new security pact with the EU to restore real-time intelligence sharing.

The speech reflects Starmer’s stance on migration as he navigates a politically charged issue. He recently raised eyebrows in the U.K. by meeting Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, praising her nationalist government’s handling of migration. Defending his position on Monday, Starmer said, “There’s nothing progressive about turning a blind eye as men, women and children die in the Channel.”

While the Conservative opposition argues Starmer should reinstate a controversial plan to deport asylum-seekers to Rwanda, he remains focused on enhancing U.K.-EU collaboration and bolstering domestic enforcement against smuggling operations.