Under the ‘Rwanda Asylum Plan,’ the UK government will send asylum seekers who cross the English Channel illegally to Rwanda for processing, asylum, and resettlement. This policy, known as ‘Stop the Boats,’ aims to deter illegal migration and human trafficking.
In return for this arrangement, the UK will accept a small number of vulnerable refugees from Rwanda and pay £120 million to the African nation. The plan has been met with controversy, with critics raising concerns about the human rights record of Rwanda.
The first flight to Rwanda was scheduled for June 14, 2022, but was halted due to legal challenges. However, the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom has ruled in favor of the government, paving the way for the plan to move forward.
The British Parliament has also passed the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Act 2024, which overrules court judgments and declares Rwanda a safe country. This move is aimed at deterring illegal migration and curbing the practice of human trafficking.
The need for such a plan was highlighted by incidents like the one in October 2019, where 39 illegal immigrants from Vietnam froze to death in a refrigerated lorry. This case exposed an organized network of human smugglers transporting undocumented people from Asian and African countries to the UK, exploiting a large unorganized market for labor.
