The UK first picks up dozens of migrants for deportation to Rwanda

Shortly after approving the controversial “Rwanda Accord,” British authorities this week began detaining asylum seekers they will send to the African country. British ministers confirmed this to British media on Wednesday. The authorities will continue to make arrests over the next eleven weeks; The first flight carrying asylum seekers to Rwanda is scheduled to depart in July. It is unclear how many people have been arrested so far.

The approved law allows asylum seekers – regardless of where they come from – to be sent to the African country. The law, which was first proposed by then Prime Minister Boris Johnson two years ago, aims to discourage migrants from coming to the UK.

Dozens have been arrested so far in cities such as Glasgow, Liverpool, Birmingham and Bristol. Protests then broke out at the Immigration Reporting Center in Liverpool and at the immigration office in Loughborough. according to Watchman A large demonstration also took place in London, where a man, a Sudanese national, was arrested on Monday and told he would be sent to Rwanda.

Winning votes

Rwanda will receive 433 million euros for this deal, in addition to 175,000 euros for each asylum seeker who already arrives. The Labor Party previously spoke of “exorbitant costs” that would not lead to significant change. The United Nations and many human rights organizations have also repeatedly criticized the agreement. Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, said the law puts pressure on the UK's rule of law and migrants' rights, and “sets a dangerous precedent around the world”.

The British government expects to deport 5,700 migrants to Rwanda this year. Reducing illegal immigration is one of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's priorities. Sunak, of the Conservative Party, is hoping to win votes with this. His party has been recording poor results in opinion polls for some time, while local elections will be held next Thursday.

In 2024, more than 7,500 migrants arrived in the UK by crossing the Channel from France in boats. Human rights organizations are expected to try to stop forced evictions through the courts. This also happened last year and the British Supreme Court stopped deportations based on the situation at the time.

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