People Smugglers Should Be Treated Like Terrorists, Says UK Prime Minsiter Starmer

British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said that illegal immigration should be confronted similarly to the war on terror, as he hosted an international summit on the issue in London.

Representatives from over 40 nations, including illegal migrant hot spots such as Albania and Vietnam, descended on London on Monday in what is being dubbed as the largest global gathering to focus on illegal immigration.

Hosting, UK PM Sir Keir Starmer said that the international people smuggling trade, estimated to be worth around $10 billion (£7.7bn) per year, must be treated in “much the same way that we do against terrorism” if it is to be stopped.

“Illegal migration is a massive driver of global insecurity. It undermines our ability to control who comes here. And that makes people angry,” Starmer said.

“It makes me angry, frankly, because it is unfair on ordinary working people who pay the price, from the cost of hotels to our public services struggling under the strain,” he continued.

“And it’s unfair on the illegal migrants themselves. Because these are vulnerable people being ruthlessly exploited by vile gangs.”

The British prime minister urged the international representatives to combine resources and share intelligence to tackle to people smuggling trade “at every step of the people smuggling journey, from North Africa and the Middle East to the high streets of our biggest cities.”

Starmer cited multilateral efforts to bust human trafficking networks, such as a joint effort from Berlin, Paris, and London last year to break up a smuggling operation run by Iraqis.

The British PM also claimed that there have also been successful multilateral operations carried out in the Netherlands against smuggling networks and campaigns in places like Albania and Vietnam to convince prospective illegals to remain in their homelands.

In terms of next steps, Starmer said that his government would be devoting £30 million to fund operations targeting the finances and supply chains of networks operating throughout Africa, Asia, and Europe and another £3 million to expand British prosecutorial reach internationally.

The government is also looking at cracking down on illegal migrants working in the gig economy and on businesses which continue to employ illegals.

It has also been reported by the Daily Mail that the government is considering challenging some of the premisses of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and their applications in British law, which have been used by illegals to successfully avoid deportations. However, the government has so far refused to withdraw the UK from the convention.

Starmer said that since his government came into power last July, the Home Office has deported 24,000 migrants, which he said was the most in eight years. However, this pales in comparison to the estimated one million illegals living in the country and is lower than the number of boat migrants who entered the UK since Labour came into office.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage remarked: “Over 30,000 migrants have crossed the Channel since Labour came to power. More illegals crossed in the first 3 months of 2025 than the same period in 2024. He promised to smash the gangs, but he’s smashing Rishi Sunak’s record instead.”

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