Results for: Asylum Seekers

In a somber turn of events, the day five individuals perished while attempting to cross the Channel saw the arrival of over 400 migrants in the United Kingdom. These crossings occurred simultaneously with the tragic incident off the coast of northern France, just hours after Parliament approved legislation intended to implement the government’s plan to relocate asylum seekers to Rwanda. The crossings resumed despite an eight-day pause in Channel activity, with an average of approximately 57 individuals per boat. Among those brought ashore in Dover, Kent, were young children and infants, while witnesses described the transfer of someone on a stretcher from a lifeboat to an ambulance. While campaigners criticized the Rwanda plan, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak emphasized the incident’s relevance to the government’s deterrent strategy. The latest crossings raise the provisional yearly total to 6,667, a slight decrease compared to 2022 but still exceeding the figures from the same period last year.

Lord Cameron, a former Conservative Prime Minister, has stated that leaving the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) is not essential to stop small boat crossings, despite divisions within the Tory party over the UK’s membership in the treaty. Cameron’s comments come as Home Secretary James Cleverly defends the controversial Rwanda deportation scheme, which has faced criticism from the ECHR. While a Bill aimed at preventing further setbacks to the scheme has passed through Parliament, the government anticipates legal challenges, with the judiciary making 25 courtrooms available to handle cases.

Former staff and residents have come forward to expose appalling conditions on the Bibby Stockholm barge, where asylum seekers were allegedly treated like prisoners and subjected to discriminatory remarks. The report, commissioned by Care4Calais and other organizations, calls for the immediate closure of the barge due to inhumane living conditions and incidents of racism. A former cleaner revealed that staff laughed and joked about the death of an asylum seeker, while security personnel reportedly told residents to ‘keep their mouths shut’ and made hostile comments.

After extensive legal and parliamentary battles, the UK has approved a plan to deport illegal migrants to Rwanda. However, experts are skeptical about the scheme’s effectiveness and raise concerns about its cost, lack of deterrent effect, and failure to address the root causes of illegal immigration.

Britain’s plan to deport asylum-seekers to Rwanda has been met with swift condemnation from international humanitarian organizations and human rights groups. The U.N. refugee agency and the Council of Europe have called on the U.K. to rethink its plans, citing concerns about human rights protections and potential damage to international cooperation on tackling the global migrant crisis.

Scotland’s First Minister, Humza Yousaf, has strongly criticized the UK Government’s newly-passed Rwanda Bill, calling it “unworkable and morally repugnant.” The bill deems Rwanda an appropriate place to send some asylum seekers, a policy that Yousaf has denounced as unethical and impractical. Additionally, Yousaf has expressed his intention to resist any attempts to use Scottish airfields for flights departing to Rwanda, emphasizing Scotland’s commitment to providing sanctuary to those fleeing persecution and conflict. This news comes amidst a tragic incident in the English Channel, where five people lost their lives while attempting to cross, underscoring the urgency of finding humane and effective solutions to the challenges of migration and asylum-seeking.

The UK government has passed the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill, which aims to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda. The scheme has faced legal challenges, and the Supreme Court ruled in November that Rwanda is not a safe country for asylum seekers. The government has now signed a treaty with Rwanda promising not to return people to countries where their lives are in danger. Human rights groups and legal experts have expressed concerns that the bill overrides existing laws preventing deportations to unsafe countries.

After a prolonged debate, the UK Parliament has approved a contentious government plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda. The legislation mandates that judges consider Rwanda a safe third country for processing asylum applications, sparking widespread criticism from human rights groups and opposition lawmakers.

At least five people have lost their lives while attempting to cross the English Channel, hours after the UK Parliament approved a controversial migrant deportation bill. The tragic incident occurred on Tuesday at Wimereaux beach in northern France, where the bodies were discovered. A rescue operation is underway, with helicopters and boats deployed, and approximately 100 migrants have been rescued and taken aboard a French navy ship. The deaths come just hours after the UK government’s plan to deport some illegally entering the country to Rwanda received parliamentary approval. Human rights groups have condemned the legislation as inhumane, while the UN refugee agency and the Council of Europe have urged the UK to reconsider its plans.

At least five individuals have lost their lives while attempting to traverse the English Channel, coinciding with the recent approval of the United Kingdom’s controversial migrant deportation bill. French media outlets reported the discovery of the deceased on Wimereaux beach in northern France, prompting a substantial rescue operation involving helicopters and boats. Approximately 100 migrants were rescued and transported aboard a French navy ship, destined for the port of Boulogne. This incident comes on the heels of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s successful bid to enact legislation authorizing the unilateral deportation of certain migrants to Rwanda. The policy aims to discourage individuals from undertaking treacherous boat journeys across the Channel, with the expectation that they would be granted asylum upon reaching British shores. However, human rights organizations have strongly condemned this legislation as inhumane and cruel. International organizations, such as the UN refugee agency and the Council of Europe, have urged the UK to reconsider its plans, citing concerns that they could undermine global efforts to address the migrant crisis. Despite the inherent dangers associated with crossing the bustling English Channel, an estimated 30,000 individuals attempted the perilous voyage in 2023, according to UK government data.