Five asylum seekers fighting their deportation from the UK to Rwanda will not be sent to the African country, the Interior Ministry said.
The news came as part of communications from Interior Ministry lawyers to the High Court hearing on Friday, when an offer began to block an expulsion flight under the controversial new policy of d expulsion of asylum seekers from the government.
Five people who were due to be deported next week have had their deportation instructions revoked.
Two campaign groups – Detention Action and Care4Calais – have joined the PCS Union and four individual asylum seekers who have filed legal action against the Interior Ministry after it was announced on Tuesday that the first group of people would be sent to Rwanda.
Lawyers for almost 100 additional migrants have filed legal appeals asking them to stay in the UK.
Downing Street has said Boris Johnson is still hoping the first flight will take place next week. The court also said a second flight could be scheduled for Thursday, which the Interior Ministry denied.
A No. 10 spokesman said, “Yes. You are aware of the ongoing court case today, but we have set out our position on why we believe this is the right approach.”
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The Interior Ministry “intends to arrange a new flight or flights to Rwanda this year,” his lawyer said.
But arranging some before the end of the full court hearing “depends on how many people fly out on Tuesday,” he added.
Proponents of her case have been working to make the actual transcript of this statement available online.
‘Not safe’
In the first stage of the legal action, filed today, Raza Husain QC told the High Court, “The system is not secure. It’s not that it’s not secure after July, it’s just not safe.
“You may be arbitrarily denied access. If you enter, there are concerns about the impartiality of decision-making.”
He continued: “The evidence is that if you are not from a neighboring country, there are high levels of rejection.”
Husain said this included Syrian asylum seekers, who are largely accepted by the UK system.
“The procedure is simply unsafe,” he said.
The Home Office is asking the court to dismiss the legal challenge
In court documents, Interior Ministry lawyers urged the court to reject the application, arguing that it “fails in the first stage,” adding: “The plaintiffs have not identified any serious problem to be tried. , and even less so the strong case they allege for the subsidy. of relief in the trial “.
The High Court said the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) had a number of concerns about the asylum process in Rwanda, including discriminatory access to asylum, including for LGBT people. , lack of legal representation and interpreters, and difficulties in appealing.
The High Court is due to hear a new policy challenge on Monday, presented by the refugee charity Asylum Aid and supported by the Freedom From Torture campaign group.
Care4Calais says he was aware of about nine Afghans; 35 Sudanese; 18 Syrians; 14 Iranians; 11 Egyptians, as well as Iraqis, Pakistanis, Albanians, Algerians, Chadians, Eritreans, Turks and Vietnamese were told they could be put on the first flight.
“Cruel” and “inhuman”
The scheme, which the government said would provide “safe and legal” routes for migrants, has been described as “inhumane” and “cruel” by human rights organizations.
According to the plans, those seeking refuge in the country illegally would be placed on charter flights to Rwanda, where they would enter the Rwandan asylum system and would not be considered to return to the UK.
It comes as the latest figures show that more than 10,000 migrants have crossed the Channel into the UK so far this year.
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James Wilson, deputy director of Detention Action, said: “In his desire to punish people for asylum by forcing them to board a plane in Rwanda, Priti Patel has exceeded his authority.
“In a hurry through what we call an illegal policy, he is turning a blind eye to the many clear dangers and human rights violations he would inflict on asylum seekers.
“It is vital that the new government policies respect and abide by the laws that we, as a society, have all agreed to follow. That is why we are asking for a court order to prevent this plane in Rwanda from going off the runway.”
The Interior Ministry defends a “world-leading association”
Image: Secretary of the Interior, Priti Patel
An Interior Ministry spokeswoman said earlier: “We have been clear from the beginning that we are expecting legal challenges, but we are determined to offer this new partnership.
“We have now issued formal instructions to the first group of people to move to Rwanda later this month. This marks a critical step towards the operation of the policy, which fully complies with international and national law.”