France bans police from intervening in shallow water migrant launches

Speaking before a commission reviewing UK-France migration agreements, Laurent Nunez said French police are prohibited from entering shallow water to prevent migrant dinghies from launching, stressing that their duty is to save lives, not endanger them. Intervention is limited to stopping migrants on land and deploying a newly created specialist unit to seize smuggling boats at sea, under the authority of the maritime prefect.

He also ruled out any British naval action that would bring migrants back to French shores, labeling it a violation of French sovereignty. The remarks challenge Reform UK's pledge to use the Royal Navy to intercept Channel crossings and return migrants to France. Over the past four days, 1,129 people attempted the crossing, including a single-day record of 781 arrivals, while the year-to-date total reflects a more than 40% decline compared with the same period in 2025. Nunez noted that the maritime protocol has been employed about ten times since its launch and that rescue operations remain the top priority.