Ministry of Internal Affairs was accused of ‘victim blaming’ of asylum seekers following the launch of an electronic tagging scheme for incoming refugees in United Kingdom.
Ministers faced urges to abandon the “farce of a policy” after assuming that those who recently avoided being sent to Rwanda after a lawsuit challenge may be among first be labeled as part of the program.
Under a 12-month pilot scheme that began last week, some of arriving on board small boats from France or in in back of trucks will be marked. The Home Office said the trial will explore whether electronic monitoring can help support regular contact with migrants and help to progress their claims. So be it also collect data on how a lot of people escape from immigration bail.
However, critics said there was no evidence that asylum seekers were fugitives. Claire Moseley, Founder of charity Care4Calais said: “I think this is outrageous. Refugees in general don’t hide. There is no data that shows what they do – they never did. They are here to seek asylum, so why would they? They are not criminals, they are victims. Things happen to them. They are not cause It. it just other part of in government criminalization of refugees, which is, in essence, blaming the victim.”
Boris Johnson defended plans on Saturday. He said it’s important that people entry into the country did not “disappear” from system. “It’s a very, very generous, hospitable country,” he said. – That’s also absolutely true. IM proud of of it, but when people come here illegally, when they break the law, it’s important that we make that distinction. This is what we do with our Rwanda policy”.
Stephen Kinnock, shadow immigration minister said policy was “another desperate attempt to distract public attention from fact what’s under it home secretary refuge decisions fell sharply, the backlog grew, and they are completely unable to cope with criminal gangs.” Labor leader Keir Starmer accused government of “Chasing Headlines”.
Alistair Carmichael, home affairs press secretary for Liberal Democrats, said: “Conservative ministers have fallen into complete mess over this is. stink of incompetence is unbearable. It’s almost like a determined effort to squander as much taxpayer money as possible money as possible. Every day they destroy the great British tradition of treatment people with respect. It’s time to do the right thing and just gave up on this farce of a policy”.
