The United Kingdom's upper house of parliament passed a Bill on Monday (April 22), as part of the government's plan for deporting undocumented immigrants to the East African nation of Rwanda.
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has often emphasised the need for stopping the inflow of small boats coming to the country, carrying migrants who are attempting to escape violence, persecution and instability in a range of countries.
However, the plan for sending migrants to Rwanda has been divisive, with the UK Supreme Court ruling that the policy was illegal in November 2023.
What is the Rwanda Bill?
The House of Lords, which is the upper house of parliament, passed the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill.
After the Supreme Court ruled that the scheme was unlawful, the government introduced a bill to make clear in UK law that Rwanda is a safe country.
It essentially says that Rwanda is a safe third country for the purposes of removing its individuals to Rwanda.
The legislation, which was finally approved on 22 April after intense political wrangling, orders the courts to ignore key sections of the Human Rights Act.
It also compels the courts to disregard other British laws or international rules, such as the international Refugee Convention, which would block deportations to Rwanda.
What's the Rwanda Asylum Plan?
The government says any asylum seeker entering the UK "illegally" after 1 January 2022, from a safe country such as France, could be sent to Rwanda.
They would have their asylum claims processed there, rather than in the UK.
If successful, they could be granted refugee status and allowed to stay in the landlocked east-central African country.
If not, they could apply to settle in Rwanda on other grounds, or seek asylum in another "safe third country".
No asylum seeker would be able to apply to return to the UK.
Ministers say the plan will deter people from arriving in the UK on small boats across the English Channel.
How Many Migrants Could Be Sent to Rwanda?
There is no limit on the number of asylum seekers who could be sent to Rwanda.
According to BBC home and legal correspondent Dominic Casciani, there are currently 52,000 people who could be considered.
The first flight to Rwanda was scheduled for June 2022 but was canceled after legal challenges.
Speaking on 22 April, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the first flight would now leave in 10-12 weeks.
Mr. Sunak did not confirm how many people would be on board, but said there would be "multiple flights a month through the summer and beyond".
The PM also said the government had "put an airfield on standby" and had booked commercial charter planes.
Why Will Rwanda Accept the Refugees?
The UK government also signed a new migration treaty with Rwanda, which Home Secretary James Cleverly said guarantees that anyone sent there would not risk being returned to their home country.
The UK government had paid £240m to Rwanda by the end of 2023.
However, the total payment will be at least £370m over five years, according to the National Audit Office.
If more than 300 people are sent to Rwanda, the UK would pay a one-off sum of £120m to help boost the country's economy, with further payments of £20,000 per individual relocated.
On top of that, up to £150,000 will be paid for each person sent there, the NAO report said.
These figures would not include the cost of payments to anyone who chooses to go to Rwanda voluntarily.
Previously released official figures suggested that removing each individual to a third country would cost £63,000 more than keeping them in the UK.
The prime minister previously claimed that the Rwanda plan would "literally save us billions in the long run", but did not explain the figures.
Is Rwanda Safe?
In November 2023, the UK Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the Rwanda scheme was unlawful.
It said genuine refugees would be at risk of being returned to their home countries, where they could face harm.
This breaches the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), which prohibits torture and inhuman treatment.
The UK is a signatory to the ECHR.
The ruling also cited concerns about Rwanda's poor human-rights record and its past treatment of refugees.
Judges said that in 2021, the UK government had itself criticized Rwanda over "extrajudicial killings, deaths in custody, enforced disappearances, and torture".
They also highlighted a 2018 incident when Rwandan police opened fire on protesting refugees, killing at least 11.
How Will Indians Be Affected?
The number of Indians seeking asylum in the UK in 2023 surpassed the 5,000 mark for the first time in 2023.
Post-pandemic, Afghanistan topped the list with close to 9,300 applications, followed by Iran (7,397), Pakistan (5,273), and India (5,253), March month data from the UK Home Office showed.
More than 1,000 Indians risked their lives in 2023 by crossing the English Channel from Europe in inflatable small boats for job opportunities and asylum in the UK.
Last year, 1,192 Indian migrants embarked on the perilous journey to reach the UK.
Indians ranked ninth, while the majority of those who successfully crossed into the UK hailed from Afghanistan (5,545 people), Iran (3,562), and Turkey (3,060).
The share of illegal migrants from India aged 18-29 has witnessed a significant surge, comprising nearly 60 per cent of the total number of illegal Indian migrants who crossed into the UK in 2023.
Conclusion :
The Rwanda bill was fiercely criticized by opposition parties and by many charities representing asylum seekers.
After the bill was passed, the illegal migration minister Michael Tomlinson said a "whole range of legal challenges" is now expected.
These are likely to come both from individual asylum seekers appealing against their own deportation and specialist expert refugee organizations.
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