News

Court Rules Family separated on Channel Cannot Reunite in UK

23 December 2024

A couple separated from their two young children during a Channel crossing has been denied the right to reunite with them in the UK. The Court of Appeal upheld the Home Office’s position that allowing the parents to enter the UK could incentivise smugglers, ruling that the family must reunite in France.

The family fled persecution in Turkey and boarded an overcrowded dinghy near Calais on 19 July 2024. A fight broke out on the boat, causing the mother to fall into the water. The father jumped in to rescue her, but smugglers pushed the boat out to sea with the couple’s children, aged nine and six, onboard.

The children arrived in the UK alone and were placed in foster care by Kent County Council. After days of uncertainty, the parents re-established contact with them via video call.

The parents launched a legal bid to join their children in the UK, citing the severe distress caused by the separation. While an immigration tribunal initially ruled in their favour, the Home Office appealed, arguing it could set a precedent for smugglers. The Court of Appeal sided with the Home Office, stating the family must reunite in France.

Following discussions between Home Secretary Yvette Cooper and French officials, France has agreed to accept the children, though it is unclear when this will happen.

The case highlights the human cost of the UK’s asylum policies, leaving a vulnerable family to endure prolonged distress and uncertainty. Experts warn that the children’s psychological harm will only deepen with continued separation.

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