©(Toby Melville/POOL/AFP)
The UK's plan to deport migrants to Rwanda passed through parliament on Monday, with deportations set to begin within days, although international legal challenges may remain.
The UK readied on Tuesday to start detention of migrants within days before deporting them to Rwanda, after the controversial plan cleared its final hurdle, sparking criticism from the UN and rights groups.
The new law finally got the green light after a marathon parliamentary tussle lasting late into Monday night.
Under the scheme, undocumented asylum seekers arriving in Britain would be sent to Rwanda, where their asylum claims would be examined and, if approved, would allow them to stay in Rwanda.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak says that deportations are expected to begin within 10-12 weeks, with migrants identified for the first flight due to be detained and held from as early as this week.
Rwanda said that it was "pleased" to see the bill passed and was looking forward to "welcoming those relocated to Rwanda."
But the heads of the UN agencies for refugees and human rights warned that it threatened the rule of law and set "a perilous precedent globally."
They urged the UK to instead "take practical measures to address irregular flows of refugees and migrants, based on international cooperation and respect for international human rights law."
Sunak said that the "landmark legislation" would deter record numbers of migrants crossing the Channel from northern France, and disrupt people-smuggling gangs behind them.
The legislation, which will compel judges to regard the east African nation as a safe third country, now goes to head of state King Charles III for royal assent.
It also gives decision-makers on asylum applications the power to disregard sections of international and domestic human rights law.
But the government faced a parliamentary battle to do so, with the upper chamber House of Lords, which scrutinizes bills, repeatedly sending the proposed legislation back to the lower House of Commons with amendments.
Peers, who had criticized the bill as inadequate, notably wanted a requirement that Rwanda could not be treated as safe until an independent monitoring body said so.
MPs in the elected Commons, where the Tories have a majority, voted down every amendment and asked the Lords to think again in a back-and-forth process known as "parliamentary ping pong."
The unelected upper chamber, where there is no overall majority for any party, dug in their heels but eventually agreed to make no further amendments, allowing the bill to pass.
Sunak's government, facing possible defeat at a general election later this year, has been under mounting pressure to cut numbers of people crossing the Channel in small boats, particularly after the UK left the European Union.
The Rwanda scheme was first proposed in 2022, but has been beset by legal challenges ever since and two years on, no migrants have been deported.
The National Audit Office, a public spending watchdog, estimated that it will cost the UK £540 million ($665 million) to deport the first 300 migrants – nearly £2 million per person.
Charities said that the scheme is unworkable and, given the small numbers involved, would do little to cut the backlog of asylum claims.
Rwanda – a tiny nation of 13 million people – lays claim to being one of the most stable countries in Africa. But rights groups accuse veteran President Paul Kagame of ruling in a climate of fear, stifling dissent and free speech.
UN rights experts suggested that airlines and aviation regulators could fall foul of internationally protected human rights laws if they take part in deportations.
Phil Hazlewood, with AFP
The UK readied on Tuesday to start detention of migrants within days before deporting them to Rwanda, after the controversial plan cleared its final hurdle, sparking criticism from the UN and rights groups.
The new law finally got the green light after a marathon parliamentary tussle lasting late into Monday night.
Under the scheme, undocumented asylum seekers arriving in Britain would be sent to Rwanda, where their asylum claims would be examined and, if approved, would allow them to stay in Rwanda.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak says that deportations are expected to begin within 10-12 weeks, with migrants identified for the first flight due to be detained and held from as early as this week.
Rwanda said that it was "pleased" to see the bill passed and was looking forward to "welcoming those relocated to Rwanda."
But the heads of the UN agencies for refugees and human rights warned that it threatened the rule of law and set "a perilous precedent globally."
They urged the UK to instead "take practical measures to address irregular flows of refugees and migrants, based on international cooperation and respect for international human rights law."
'Deterrent'
Sunak said that the "landmark legislation" would deter record numbers of migrants crossing the Channel from northern France, and disrupt people-smuggling gangs behind them.
The legislation, which will compel judges to regard the east African nation as a safe third country, now goes to head of state King Charles III for royal assent.
It also gives decision-makers on asylum applications the power to disregard sections of international and domestic human rights law.
But the government faced a parliamentary battle to do so, with the upper chamber House of Lords, which scrutinizes bills, repeatedly sending the proposed legislation back to the lower House of Commons with amendments.
Peers, who had criticized the bill as inadequate, notably wanted a requirement that Rwanda could not be treated as safe until an independent monitoring body said so.
MPs in the elected Commons, where the Tories have a majority, voted down every amendment and asked the Lords to think again in a back-and-forth process known as "parliamentary ping pong."
The unelected upper chamber, where there is no overall majority for any party, dug in their heels but eventually agreed to make no further amendments, allowing the bill to pass.
Costly
Sunak's government, facing possible defeat at a general election later this year, has been under mounting pressure to cut numbers of people crossing the Channel in small boats, particularly after the UK left the European Union.
The Rwanda scheme was first proposed in 2022, but has been beset by legal challenges ever since and two years on, no migrants have been deported.
The National Audit Office, a public spending watchdog, estimated that it will cost the UK £540 million ($665 million) to deport the first 300 migrants – nearly £2 million per person.
Charities said that the scheme is unworkable and, given the small numbers involved, would do little to cut the backlog of asylum claims.
Rwanda – a tiny nation of 13 million people – lays claim to being one of the most stable countries in Africa. But rights groups accuse veteran President Paul Kagame of ruling in a climate of fear, stifling dissent and free speech.
UN rights experts suggested that airlines and aviation regulators could fall foul of internationally protected human rights laws if they take part in deportations.
Phil Hazlewood, with AFP
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