Three of the four asylum seekers fighting against 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 the written communications from Interior Ministry lawyers to the High Court ahead of an attempt today to block a deportation flight to the African country under the controversial new policy of expulsion of asylum seekers from the government.
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.
Downing Street has said Boris Johnson still hopes the first flight sending migrants to Rwanda will take place next week.
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.”
Proponents of her case have been working to make the actual transcript of this statement available online.
The High Court was told today that a policy of deporting people to Rwanda is illegal, in part because it was “irrational.”
Raza Husain QC, for the individuals and groups who filed the claim, told the High Court that the policy is illegal in part because it was “irrational.”
“The Secretary of State’s conclusion on security in Rwanda was irrational. We have a very strong case in this regard.”
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.
Care4Calais says he was aware of about nine Afghans; 35 Sudanese; 18 Syrians; 14 Iranians; 11 Egyptians, as well as Iraqis, Pakistanis, Algerians, Algerians, Chadians, Eritreans, Turks and Vietnamese were told they could board 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.
Lady Emma Thompson has described the scheme to send migrants to Rwanda as “crazy and insensitive”.
His comments on the Rwandan scheme echo those of various activists and politicians, including some from the Conservative Party.
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 respect the laws that we all, as a society, have agreed to follow. That is why we are seeking a court order to prevent this plane in Rwanda from going off the runway.”
The Interior Ministry defends the “world leading association”
Image: Secretary of the Interior, Priti Patel
An Interior Ministry spokeswoman said earlier: “Our leading global partnership with Rwanda is a key part of our strategy to review the broken asylum system.
“We were clear from the beginning that we were 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.”