The first flight to take migrants arriving illegally in Britain to Rwanda could take place next week, the London High Court ruled after a judge dismissed activists’ attempts to win an order court to stop him.
Key points:
- The flight is the first to come out under a controversial deportation agreement between the United Kingdom and the East African nation
- Human rights groups say the deal is unfeasible, inhumane and a waste of British taxpayers’ money
- The government hopes the plan will deter Canal crossings
Charities and a union had launched a challenge against the government’s plan to send asylum seekers to the East African nation, saying it was unsafe, but the court said the first flight planned for could take place next Tuesday.
The first dozen asylum seekers will be deported to Rwanda on 14 June.
“There is a material public interest in the Ministry of the Interior [Priti Patel] to be able to implement immigration decisions, “Judge Jonathan Swift said.
He said some of the risks faced by deported asylum seekers described by charities were small and “in the realm of speculation”.
However, the court granted the human rights groups permission to appeal the decision to the Court of Appeal.
Mrs. Patel congratulated the decision.
“We will continue preparations for the first flight to Rwanda, along with the range of other measures aimed at reducing crossings on small ships,” he said.
The government’s plan has sparked protests from human rights groups, opposition ministers and some from Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Conservative Party.
Boris Johnson’s tough immigration position aims to relocate to the African country anyone who has arrived illegally in Britain after 1 January. (Reuters: John Sibley)
During Friday’s hearing, Raza Hussain, the lawyer acting for Care4Calais, Detention Action and the Union of Public and Commercial Services (PCS), representing officials from the British Home Office (Home Office) , said the plan was unsafe and irrational.
Hussain said the government had made “misleading and inaccurate” allegations that the UN High Commissioner for Refugees had given him the green light and that he was acting with false assurances about Rwanda’s ability to offer protection to applicants. asylum seekers and process their claims.
Influx of migrant and refugee ships
Government lawyer Mathew Gullick said the criticism and concerns were retrospective and did not reflect how migrants would be treated.
There was a “significant public interest” in deterring illegal immigration, he said.
However, during the course of the hearing, the court learned that a good handful of the approximately 30 people who were to be deported on Tuesday would not be removed.
Clare Moseley, the founder of Care4Calais, said a total of about 130 migrants, many from Sudan, Syria, Iraq and Iran, were facing deportation.
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Last year, more than 28,000 migrants and refugees made the journey from continental Europe to Britain.
In November, 27 people drowned in the Canal when their small rubber boat deflated, and many more have needed to be rescued from the narrow sea route, one of the busiest waterways in the world.
According to the government scheme, anyone who arrives illegally in Britain from 1 January could be transferred to Rwanda.
The government expects the plan to deter canal crossings, although more than 3,500 people have arrived in Britain in small boats since mid-April, when the Rwanda plan was unveiled, according to government figures.
The Johnson administration had previously warned that “left-wing lawyers” would try to block the scheme, which is popular with many in its Conservative Party, while immigration, a key to Brexit support, remains a major issue. some British.
Mr. Swift said a full court hearing to decide on the legality of the scheme will take place before the end of July.
Israel has previously tried a similar plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda. But in 2018 the Israeli Supreme Court blocked the policy, saying it was not compatible with the UN refugee convention.
Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to search, up and down arrows for volume. Clock time: 2 minutes 11 seconds 2 m 11 s The UK plans to send asylum seekers to Rwanda.
Reuters