After enduring two years of legal battles and opposition in Parliament, the United Kingdom’s government has successfully passed a controversial law allowing the relocation of asylum seekers to Rwanda, where their asylum claims will be processed.
On Tuesday, April 23rd, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak hailed the legislation as a crucial step towards deterring dangerous crossings and dismantling human traffickers’ operations.
Sunak stated, “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. The passing of this legislation will allow us to do that and make it very clear that if you come here illegally, you will not be able to stay.”
However, the bill has drawn fierce criticism from human rights groups and the international community.
Filippo Grandi, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, criticized the bill for undermining global refugee protections.
“Protecting refugees requires all countries – not just those neighboring crisis zones – to uphold their obligations. This arrangement seeks to shift responsibility for refugee protection, undermining international cooperation and setting a worrying global precedent,” Grandi expressed.
Critics, including Amnesty International UK, argue the bill severely compromises established international legal standards.
The legislation also comes amid continued scrutiny over its efficacy and cost.
Despite substantial investment, totaling £220 million so far, the plan has yet to result in any deportations.
The UK Supreme Court last year ruled the policy potentially unlawful due to risks of maltreatment and persecution, known as refoulement, that asylum seekers might face.
The law’s future remains uncertain with potential challenges from the European Court of Human Rights looming, even as the UK remains a signatory to the European Convention of Human Rights.
This ongoing legal vulnerability poses a significant risk to the law’s practical application and to Sunak’s political standing, especially with an upcoming general election.
Home Secretary James Cleverly, in a message, said, “The Safety of Rwanda Bill has passed in Parliament, and it will become law within days.”
Cleverly continued, saying that the law would “prevent people from abusing the law by using false human rights claims to block removals. And it makes clear that the U.K. Parliament is sovereign, giving the government the power to reject interim blocking measures imposed by European courts.”
Despite the passage of the bill, the UK government may still encounter legal hurdles at the European Court of Human Rights, given that the UK remains a party to the European Convention of Human Rights.
The European court has previously prevented the UK from deporting asylum seekers to Rwanda.
In 2021, the U.K. government raised concerns about Rwanda’s human rights record, explicitly citing issues such as extrajudicial killings, deaths while in custody, enforced disappearances, and instances of torture.
