More than 20,000 people reached Britain by crossing the English Channel in small boats during the first half of 2025, the earliest date the milestone has been recorded, according to Home Office data. The ministry counted 19,982 arrivals to 30 June and 20,422 by 2 July, eclipsing the previous mid-year record and signalling another intense migration season. The total represents a 48% jump on the 13,489 crossings registered in the same period of 2024 and places the UK on course to challenge the annual peak of 46,000 set in 2022. Despite stepped-up patrols and surveillance on both sides of the Channel, nearly 500 people made the journey on 5 July alone, underscoring the scale of the challenge for London and Paris. French authorities have begun deploying more aggressive tactics to stem departures. On 4 July police officers waded into shallow water near Boulogne-sur-Mer and used knives to puncture an overloaded dinghy moments before it set off, forcing dozens of occupants to wade back to shore. Observers described the scene, filmed by broadcasters, as the first known instance of French officers deliberately disabling a boat already afloat. UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper welcomed the intervention as a “significant moment,” and Downing Street said the tougher French stance could have a major impact on smuggling networks. Civil-rights groups and a French police union cautioned that slashing vessels at sea risks endangering migrants and officers and may clash with maritime safety rules. The record crossings and controversial enforcement methods are expected to dominate talks when President Emmanuel Macron pays a state visit to London later this month for discussions with Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Both leaders are under pressure to show that intensified cooperation can reduce the flow of small-boat arrivals without compromising safety or international law.