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  "path": "/news/migrant-crisis-250-hottest-day",
  "publishedAt": "2026-03-18T15:46:15.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.gbnews.com",
  "tags": [
    "The GB News Editorial Charter"
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  "textContent": "\n\n\nMore than 260 small boat migrants entered Britain today at the start of several days of good weather in the English Channel.\n\nAt least 56 migrants arrived in the Dover harbour on a Border Force vessel just after 10am, GB News can reveal.\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThree other migrant boats made the illegal crossing in the hours that followed.\n\nJust after 3pm, the Border Force vessel Typhoon unloaded another 82 at the migrant processing centre in Dover, taking the total for the day to 261.\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nTRENDING\n\nStories\n\nVideos\n\nYour Say\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nIt takes the total number of illegal arrivals so far this year to 3,718.\n\nSeveral more days of good weather in the Channel this week are expected to see hundreds more small boat migrants attempt to reach Britain.\n\nThe Border Force facility at Dover harbour has now reopened after being closed for upgrade work for the past two months.\n\nAll migrant arrivals, which were being diverted to Ramsgate harbour, are now being landed back at the main Dover processing centre.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThe fresh wave of small boat arrivals coincided with the UK basking in its hottest day of the year so far.\n\nTemperatures reached 20.1C in West London, significantly higher than last week.\n\nMeanwhile, mercury peaked at 13C in Dover as wind gusts remained particularly low at just 12mph.\n\nAlmost 200,000 small boat migrants have crossed the Channel since the start of the crisis in 2018.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nSir Keir Starmer has overseen more small boat arrivals than any other Prime Minister, with more than 66,000 crossing the Channel in his first 19 months in power.\n\nKent County Council is this week voting on declaring an \"illegal migration\" emergency.\n\nThe motion, which was tabled by councillors David Wimble and Jeremy Eustace, argues small boat arrivals will \"likely contain a number of potential terrorist cells, supporting IS and al-Qaeda\".\n\nCouncil leader Linden Kemkaran said: \"Illegal small boat crossings are not a distant problem for Kent. As Leader of Reform in KCC, I refuse to sit back and do nothing.\"\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThe motion estimates that irregular migration costs Kent families approximately £368 annually for a household of four.\n\nMeanwhile, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban told GB News his one-word \"secret\" to achieving net zero migration.\n\nIn his first sit-down interview with GB News - and his first ever with a British broadcaster - Mr Orban said: \"Determination. So if you decide that you stop them, stop them.\n\n\"Sometimes it's not the nicest job, but if you decide that this is our borderline and nobody can cross it without our permission, you have to keep the line and you have to do so.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n\"So, in Hungary, it's very simple. If somebody is crossing the border line without getting permission prior to that from the authorities, it's a crime and we treat them as crime-makers.\n\n\"So if you're not tough enough... You can't be half tough, you know. Yes or no? There is no between.\"\n\nHowever, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood set out her plan to dissuade migrants from making the perilous 21-mile journey.\n\nMs Mahmood is looking to alter asylum claims to ensure refugee status only becomes temporary.\n\nShe is also offering failed asylum seekers families up to £40,000 to leave the UK.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n**Our Standards:The GB News Editorial Charter**",
  "title": "More than 250 illegal migrants cross English Channel as smugglers exploit hottest day of year so far"
}