Hundreds of boat migrants, often identifying as Iranian, are coming across the narrow straits separating England and France

Over forty illegal migrants landed in England after taking to sea in boats over just one weekend, according to reports.

Tens of thousands of illegal migrants attempt to break into the United Kingdom by forcing their way into Britain-bound lorries, boarding ferries, or storming the Channel Tunnel, but illegal sea crossings of the type seen in Greece, Italy, and Spain were quite rare until recently.

Now, hundreds of boat migrants, often identifying as Iranian, are coming across the narrow straits separating England and France in vessels stolen from fishermen or, more often, in dangerous boats provided by criminal people-smugglers in exchange for significant sums of money.

Many of these migrants identify as Iranian because they have been told by the people-smuggling gangs that Iranians will get preferential treatment from the UK authorities, and that their chances of forced repatriation are virtually non-existent.