On Saturday, March 18th, Britain’s Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, arrived in Rwanda for a visit aimed at reinforcing the United Kingdom’s commitment to a controversial plan to deport some asylum-seekers to the African country. The migration policy, according to Braverman, “will act as a powerful deterrent against dangerous and illegal journeys.”
The Conservative government’s plan is to stop migrants from reaching the UK on risky journeys across the English Channel, and a deportation agreement signed with Rwanda last year was part of the measures intended to deter the arrivals. Over 45,000 people arrived in Britain by boat in 2022, compared to 8,500 in 2020.
The plan entails flying some migrants who arrive in the UK in small boats to Rwanda, where their asylum claims would be processed. Those granted asylum would stay in the African country instead of returning to Britain. However, the 140 million-pound ($170 million) plan has been mired in legal challenges, and no one has yet been sent to Rwanda. The UK was forced to cancel the first deportation flight at the last minute in June 2022, after the European Court of Human Rights ruled that the plan carried “a real risk of irreversible harm.”
Human rights groups have cited Rwanda’s poor human rights record and argued that it is inhumane to send people over 4,000 miles (6,400 kilometers) to a country they don’t want to live in. Earlier this week, a group of asylum-seekers from countries such as Iran, Iraq, and Syria were granted permission to launch court appeals against the British government’s decision to relocate them.
However, Braverman defended the plan, saying it will “support people to rebuild their lives in a new country” while also boosting Rwanda’s economy through investments in jobs and skills. She is expected to meet with President Paul Kagame and her counterpart, Vincent Biruta, to discuss the details of the deportation agreement.
The deportation plan has been met with criticism from various groups. The UN Refugee Agency has expressed concerns about the safety and well-being of those deported to Rwanda, and Amnesty International has said that Rwanda’s record on human rights and refugees is “highly concerning.”
The UK’s independent chief inspector of borders and immigration has also warned that the plan could lead to a breach of international law if asylum-seekers were sent to a country that was unable or unwilling to protect them. The UK has a legal obligation to protect people from being returned to a place where they may face persecution, torture, or inhuman or degrading treatment.
The UK government has stated that it will not deport anyone to a country where they would be at risk, and that it will ensure that all those deported to Rwanda have had their asylum claims processed and have a right to remain in the country.
However, the plan has faced legal challenges, with the first deportation flight being cancelled due to concerns about the safety of those being deported. The UK government has also faced criticism for its treatment of asylum-seekers and refugees, with many arguing that the government should be doing more to support those who are seeking safety in the country.
The visit by the UK’s Home Secretary to Rwanda is part of the government’s efforts to continue with its deportation plan. However, it remains to be seen whether the plan will be implemented, given the legal challenges and concerns about the safety and well-being of those being deported.
Image Credit: UK Government
