The UK government is facing mounting pressure over its handling of asylum seekers, with new figures showing that accommodating them is costing taxpayers nearly £6 million per day. In response to widespread protests, the Defense Ministry is considering housing illegal migrants in military barracks instead of taxpayer-funded hotels.

The controversy began after a 14-year-old girl was sexually assaulted by a migrant housed in a hotel in the town of Epping in July. As of that month, 45,000 asylum seekers were being housed in hotels, sparking public anger amid Britain’s worsening financial crisis. On a single day in July, over 1,000 migrants crossed the English Channel in small boats, according to the Home Office.

Defense Secretary John Healey announced that the government is exploring the use of military and non-military sites for temporary accommodation, with the goal of processing migrants rapidly to determine whether they can be deported. He acknowledged the need to restore public confidence in Britain’s ability to control its borders.

In a recent cabinet reshuffle, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer appointed Shabana Mahmood as the new home secretary, tasking her with addressing the migrant hotel crisis and the influx of illegal migrants. Starmer has faced criticism over his handling of the issue, with nearly 70% of Britons holding an unfavorable opinion of him, according to a recent YouGov poll.

The migrant crisis has become a major challenge for the UK government, with many Britons feeling that the rights and safety of migrants are being prioritized over those of the British people. The government’s response to the crisis will be closely watched, as it seeks to balance the need to provide humanitarian support with the need to maintain public trust and confidence in its ability to control the country’s borders.