British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has announced plans to commence the transfer of asylum seekers to Rwanda within the next 10 to 12 weeks, following the passage of required legislation by
the UK Parliament. The upper house of parliament had faced delays in approving the legislation due to attempts to modify the plan.
Sunak stated that commercial charter planes have been arranged, and staff have been trained for the deportation process, a move intended to bolster support for his Conservative Party ahead of an upcoming election.
Despite initial resistance from the House of Lords, which sought additional safeguards, they eventually relented after Sunak's commitment to push through the legislation, even if it required Parliament to sit late into Monday night.
"No ifs, no buts. These flights are going to Rwanda," Sunak affirmed during a press conference.
In recent years, a significant number of migrants, fleeing conflicts and poverty from regions such as Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, have reached Britain via perilous journeys across the English Channel facilitated by human trafficking networks.
While the government aims to stem this influx, critics argue that the plan to deport individuals to Rwanda instead of processing asylum claims domestically is inhumane. Concerns have been raised regarding Rwanda's human rights record and the potential risks faced by asylum seekers upon return to their countries of origin.
The newly passed law stipulates that certain UK human rights statutes will not apply to the deportation scheme and designates Rwanda as a safe destination, effectively overriding a previous Supreme Court ruling that deemed the scheme unlawful. It also restricts individuals' avenues for appeal to exceptional cases only.
Similar agreements to process asylum seekers abroad are being considered by other European countries, including Austria and Germany.
The legislation, following amendments made by the House of Commons, returned to the House of Lords for final consideration before its passage. Despite some calls for additional safeguards, the Lords allowed the legislation to proceed without formal alterations.
Expected to receive Royal Assent from King Charles later this week, the law will then come into effect.
Sunak's administration anticipates that the implementation of this policy, formulated in collaboration with Rwanda, will deter Channel crossings and disrupt human smuggling operations.
Despite parliamentary approval, legal challenges may still arise. Charities and rights groups have expressed intentions to contest individual deportations, while the trade union representing border force staff plans to challenge the law's legality shortly after the first deportation notices are issued.
"We urgently need the UK government to start treating refugees with decency and stop trying to send them away to an unsafe future in Rwanda," remarked Lucy Gregg, acting head of Advocacy at Freedom from Torture. Photo by SteveRwanda, Wikimedia commons.