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UK Approves Bill To Send Asylum Seekers To Rwanda

UK approves bill to send some asylum seekers to Rwanda

According to official reports, UK approves bill to send asylum seekers to Rwanda just after passing the bill to cut the Mediterranean Sea migration with Italy.

The United Kingdom approved contentious legislation on Tuesday that allows the government to deport some asylum seekers to Rwanda, with deportation flights set to begin this summer.

After nearly eight hours of debate overnight, the so-called Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill passed through the United Kingdom Parliament early this morning, paving the way for it to receive royal assent and become law soon. The legislation, which aims to deter migrants from entering the UK illegally via small boats in the hope of claiming asylum once they arrive, had been stalled in Parliament for two months after lawmakers in both houses proposed and rejected amendments.

Thoughts From Prime Minister Rishi Sunak

U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who referred to the bill as “landmark legislation,” promised that the first flights deporting illegal migrants to Rwanda, where their asylum claims will be processed, would depart in 10 to 12 weeks.

“We introduced the Rwanda Bill to deter vulnerable migrants from making perilous crossings and break the business model of the criminal gangs who exploit them,” Sunak said in a statement released on Tuesday. “The passage of this legislation will enable us to do so and make it abundantly clear that if you come here illegally, you will not be able to stay. I am confident that nothing will stop us from accomplishing this and saving lives.”

The Thoughts Of Rwanda Towards The Passed Bill

Rwanda is “pleased” that the bill has been approved by the United Kingdom Parliament and “look[s] forward to welcoming those relocated to Kigali,” according to Rwandan government spokesperson Yolande Makolo.

“It doesn’t alter what we have always known to be true: we have worked hard over the last 30 years to make Rwanda a safe and secure country for Rwandans and non-Rwandans alike,” Makolo said in a statement released on Tuesday.

Former U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson first proposed the idea in 2022, when he signed a multi-million-dollar partnership with the Rwandan government to have illegal migrants with asylum applications “deemed inadmissible by the U.K.” flown to Rwanda instead. However, the U.K. Supreme Court blocked the deportation flights last November, calling the plan “unlawful” because the government could not guarantee the safety of those being transferred to Rwanda.

In response, the United Kingdom signed a new treaty with Rwanda that strengthened migrants’ protections, and then proposed the current legislation last December, declaring the East African country “safe” for asylum seekers.

On Tuesday, top UN officials issued a joint statement urging the UK to reconsider its plan, which they warned would have a “harmful impact” on human rights and refugee protection.

“The new legislation marks a further step away from the U.K.’s long tradition of providing refuge to those in need, in breach of the Refugee Convention,” said Filippo Grandi, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. “To protect refugees, all countries, not just those near crisis zones, must uphold their obligations. This agreement attempts to shift responsibility for refugee protection, undermining international cooperation and setting a troubling global precedent.”