The UK has signed a new deal with Iraq aimed at speeding up the return of migrants with no right to be in the country.
It builds on previous efforts to cooperate on tackling smuggling gangs and deterring people from crossing the Channel in small boats.
More than 27,000 people have made the dangerous journey so far this year, up from around 18,000 in the same period last year.
The Conservatives described the deal as “measly” , saying “barely any” small boat arrivals are now Iraqi.
The number of Iraqis making the crossing fell to 1,900 in the year ending March 2025, down from 2,600 in the previous year, according to the Home Office.
The government said this demonstrated the effectiveness of cooperation between the two countries on tackling illegal migration.
The government said the deal would establish formal processes to “swiftly” return those with no legal right to be in the UK.
It was signed by Home Office minister Dan Jarvis as part of a two-day visit to the UK by Iraq’s Deputy Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein.
Not all Iraqis who arrive by small boat would be returned as some may successfully claim asylum if they can prove they face persecution in their home country.
Around 26% of Iraqis who made the crossing in the year to March 2025 were granted asylum at initial decision.
Conservative shadow home secretary Chris Philp said the agreement was “a sham designed to look tough while crossings keep soaring”.
Last year the UK agreed an £800,000 deal to strengthen Iraqi law enforcement and border security, aimed at tackling people-smuggling.
Many of the smuggling networks across Europe are run by Iraqi Kurds.
Jarvis said: “By working together on security, development and migration challenges, we are building stronger relationships that benefit both our countries whilst tackling shared challenges like organised crime and irregular migration.”
The government has sought to speed up the return of failed asylum seekers and foreign criminals, with similar agreements already made with Albania and Vietnam since Labour came to power.
It said more than 35,000 people with no right to be in the UK had been returned in Labour’s first year – a 14% increase compared to the same period 12 months ago.
Last month a separate deal was agreed with France, which involves returning some small boat arrivals in exchange for the UK accepting an equivalent number of asylum seekers from the country.
