Investigators will have the power to seize the mobile phones of suspected people traffickers and it will become an offence to endanger lives at sea under new laws designed to crack down on small boat crossings.
People selling and handling parts of vessels being used to smuggle migrants across the Channel could face up to 14 years in prison under the measures announced by the Home Office on Thursday.
The Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill will give investigators powers to copy data found on the mobile devices of suspects involved in immigration crime and use it to prosecute individuals who facilitate illegal crossings.
Home Office sources said Border Force officials have faced "floating crime scenes" in recent months with “reckless” activity resulting crushes and drownings.
Officers have been threatened, the sources added, but boat passengers suspected of crimes allowed to enter the British asylum system with few penalties.
The raft of new offences and counter-terror powers will aim to “smash the gangs” that facilitate the perilous crossings from France to the UK, the Government said, after almost 37,000 people made the journey last year.
The Government is expected bring the measures into force as soon as possible once the legislation is approved by MPs and Lords.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer previously vowed to treat people smugglers as "terrorists" in a bid to curb crossings.
But the PM and Home Secretary Yvette Cooper could face a row with some in their party over actions that Labour strongly criticised in opposition being retained.
Highly controversial measures introduced in under the previous Conservative Government in 2023 look set to be kept, including a ban on illegal migrants claiming protections under the modern slavery laws.
But the Home Office hit back at the claims. A spokesman said: "Parliament is not being asked to retain the modern slavery provisions from the Illegal Migration Act (IMA) connected to the duty to remove irregular migrants.
"The sole modern slavery measure being retained from the IMA, if commenced, would allow more foreign national offenders to be considered for disqualification from modern slavery protections on public order grounds.”
Ms Cooper said: “This Bill will equip our law enforcement agencies with the powers they need to stop these vile criminals, disrupting their supply chains and bringing more of those who profit from human misery to justice.
“These new counter-terror style powers, including making it easier to seize mobile phones at the border, along with statutory powers for our new Border Security Command to focus activity across law enforcement agencies and Border Force will turbocharge efforts to smash the gangs.”
The new law is expected to make up part of the Government’s approach to tackling the complex issue, while also focusing on international cooperation and continuing removal of migrants without valid asylum claims from the country.
Reacting to the bill, Natasha Tsangarides from refugee charity Freedom From Torture said it “will do nothing” to address the root causes of the issue and instead make methods refugees use to escape war and persecution “more dangerous”.
The Government said the new Border Security Asylum and Immigration Bill will:
