Britain’s parliament has passed a law to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda while they await a verdict on their claim.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak vowed to overcome additional obstacles and proceed with deportation flights to Rwanda after parliament passed migration legislation, exposing serious splits within his Conservative Party.
“The passing of this landmark legislation is not just a step forward but a fundamental change in the global equation on migration,” Rishi Sunak said in a statement.
Soon after the bill was approved, the UN urged Britain to reconsider plans to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda, warning that it threatened the rule of law and set “a perilous precedent globally.”
What is Britain’s Rwanda plan?
Boris Johnson’s deportation idea has been fraught with controversy and legal fights since he announced it as prime minister in 2022. So far, no migrants have been transported to Rwanda.
Last November, the UK Supreme Court found the policy unconstitutional. Rishi Sunak hopes that the new legislation will overcome legal problems and help him keep his promise to prohibit individuals arriving across the Channel in small boats.
Rwanda, a tiny nation of 13 million people, claims to be one of Africa’s most stable countries. However, rights groups accuse veteran President Paul Kagame of instilling fear and suppressing opposition and free speech.
Despite the fact that no deportations have taken place, Britain has already paid Rwanda 240 million pounds. While Britain plans to send thousands of migrants, Rwanda can only accept a few hundred.
According to the plan, anyone who illegally entered Britain after January 1, 2022, would be sent to Rwanda
The Rwanda program, agreed upon by then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson in April 2022, is intended to prevent migrants from entering Britain illegally.
According to the plan, anyone who illegally entered Britain after January 1, 2022, would be sent to Rwanda.
However, European judges blocked the first deportation flight, scheduled for June 2022.
The UK Supreme Court then unanimously affirmed a decision that the plan was illegal because migrants were at risk of being deported to their home countries or to other countries where they would face mistreatment.
To address the concerns highlighted by the Supreme Court, Rishi Sunak signed a new deal with Rwanda that prohibits anyone from being deported anywhere other than back to Britain.
Once the bill becomes law, which is likely later this week, the government will be able to begin detaining asylum seekers, prompting fresh court challenges from charities, campaigners, and unions who believe that Rwanda is not a safe destination.
Some legal experts, however, argue that as the measure stands, Britain would remain obliged by the European Court of Human Rights judgments, which might issue injunctions to stop deportation flights.
Tens of thousands of migrants, many fleeing war and poverty in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, have arrived in Britain in recent years by crossing the English Channel in small boats on dangerous trips orchestrated by people smugglers.
Sunak, who became prime minister in October last year, proclaimed “stop the boats” one of his major priorities.
