UK to send illegal migrants to Rwanda for resettlement

The British government has been making plans to deter asylum seekers from crossing the English Channel in small boats by sending them to Rwanda under a £120 million ($148 million) contract. Despite an injunction from the European Court of Human Rights that blocked the first deportation flight in April 2022, the High Court in London ruled in December that the scheme was legal, and opponents are seeking to appeal that judgment. The plan has raised concerns among some charities, which have said that it could be impractical and criminalize the efforts of thousands of genuine refugees.

However, Britain’s Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, said that she is convinced that Rwanda would be a safe country to resettle migrants who had arrived illegally in the United Kingdom. Braverman, who visited Rwanda last month, would not give a deadline for the first flight to depart, but she assured that the program would be implemented soon.

Speaking about the possibility of the program, Braverman said, “We’re looking at 2023 and beyond. The High Court – senior expert judges – have looked into the detail of our arrangement with Rwanda and found it to be a safe country and found our arrangements to be lawful.” She further added, “We have to be realistic. We had a very strong victory in the High Court at the end of last year on Rwanda. We’ve now introduced legislation. We want to move as quickly as possible to relocate people from the UK to Rwanda.”

While the plan remains controversial, with critics arguing that it could violate human rights, the British government maintains that it is necessary to deter illegal immigration and ensure the safety of those who seek asylum in the country. The situation remains complex, with legal challenges and practical considerations to be addressed before any deportations can take place.