Government United Kingdom hopes to launch a program to send illegal migrants to Rwandato wait there for their UK asylum applications to be processed. The newspaper reported on Saturday The Telegraph citing a source in the British government.
“We’re definitely working on having flights by summer,” an unnamed source quoted the publication as saying. His statements were made following a two-day trip to Kigali Foreign Minister of the Kingdom Suella Braverman. On Saturday, she signed an updated version of an agreement with Rwandan Foreign Minister Vincent Biruta to send illegal migrants.
According to The Telegraph, it will eliminate the shortcomings of the previous intergovernmental agreement and will allow refugees to be sent to the African state on a wider range of grounds. So, now it will be possible to deport illegal immigrants if they claim that they left their native country due to modern slavery or human rights violations. “This will close all loopholes,” a source told the publication.
As Braverman herself stated, the government is working to ensure that deportation flights begin “as early as possible.” “It’s entirely possible that we can move faster if we get a judgment in our favor,” she added.
On the way to court
Last December, the High Court in London upheld the UK government’s program to deport illegal migrants to Rwanda while their asylum applications are being processed. However, the case was referred to the London Court of Appeal. He is due to hear the case in April and deliver a verdict in June. If the Court of Appeal upholds the High Court’s decision, then the government will essentially have no barriers to sending migrants to Rwanda. If he takes the side of the opponents of the deportation, then the case will go to the Supreme Court.
According to The Telegraph, already at this stage, the government may decide to start sending illegal immigrants to Rwanda who arrive in the UK from France, crossing the English Channel. True, with the condition that they will be returned to the kingdom if the Supreme Court recognizes such a practice as illegal.
Position can also be an obstacle. European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR). It was he who in June last year decided to suspend the implementation of this scheme. On Saturday, Braverman reiterated that London is ready to consider leaving the ECHR in order to have independence in determining its migration policy. “In the end, nothing can be ruled out,” the newspaper quoted the minister as saying.
During her visit to Kigali, Braverman visited one of the new residential complexes prepared to receive illegal migrants. “Opportunities Rwanda [по приему нелегалов] estimated in the thousands. We believe this is enough to solve the problems we face in the UK,” the Home Secretary said.
About illegal immigration
According to official statistics from the British Home Office, the number of illegal immigrants crossing the English Channel to reach the United Kingdom has been steadily increasing over the past five years, despite promises from the ruling Conservative Party fight illegal immigration. In 2018, 299 such cases were recorded, in 2019 – 1.8 thousand, in 2020 already 8.4 thousand people used the illegal sea route, and in 2021 – 28.5 thousand people. Last year, this figure increased by 60% and reached 45.7 thousand.
