House secretary Priti Patel’s highly controversial plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda on airplane next the week was given the go-ahead despite warnings from the UN refugee agency that the scheme is illegal.
High Court Judge Rejects Campaigners Offer for injunction to terminate the activities of the Ministry of the Interior first deportation flight to Rwanda, scheduled departure on Tuesday with There are 31 migrants on board.
Despite outrage from human rights groups and opposition MPs, up up to 130 people were notified that they could be sent to a Central African country for “processing” asylum, like the Ministry of the Interior plans to schedule more flights are year.
Ms Patel welcomed Friday’s court decision and insisted she “will not be deterred” by any further attempts to “prevent their relocation through legal challenges as well as “last minute claims” by activists.
Rwanda is a safe country home secretary. “We will continue to prepare for in first flight to Rwanda, along with range of other measures aimed at reduce small boat crossings.
Campaign groups said they were “disappointed” and “deeply concerned” at the verdict but vowed to keep fighting Rwanda’s plan. decision will not prevent individual refugees from establishing their own legal challenges against removal.
Court documents show Interior Ministry canceled deportation to Rwanda for five migrants who filed an appeal. Lawyers for nearly 100 migrants filed legal challenges are asked to stay in United Kingdom, with the rest are expected follow suit.
The lawsuit was filed by lawyers on on behalf of of Care4Calais and detention measures and government and commercial services union (PKS), who challenged the legal principle of in policy.
Rejecting an offer to block the flight, Judge Jonathan Swift said some of risks facing deported asylum seekers were small as well as “in kingdoms of speculation.” Mr Justice Swift said that “material public interest” in allowing home secretary immigrate decisions.
Claire Moseley, Founder of Care4Calais response: “Today was just Start of it’s legal challenge. We believe that next scene of litigation could put an end to this completely barbaric plan.”
Mr Justice Swift did give the groups permission to appeal Friday’s verdict, suggesting that the court of Judges of Appeal will hear the case on Monday. Referee also said full decision hearing on the overall legality of the scheme will take place to end of July.
Detention Action said: “Our appeal will be heard on Monday and our big court case against this is policy will be heard over coming weeks. Thanks to all standing with us”.
Priti Patel and Rwanda minister Vincent Biruta sign partnership
(PA)
Under government scheme, anyone who arrived in Great Britain on routes declared illegal since January 1, can be transferred to Rwanda. Government lawyer Matthew Gallick said there was “an important public interest” in curbing illegal immigration.
However, the court was told that the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) had a number of concerns about the asylum process in Rwanda, including discrimination against LGBT+ people and disadvantage of legal representation.
UNHCR also told the High Court that the Home Office had falsely claimed that its plan for Rwanda had been approved by the UN refugee agency. Laura Dubinsky QC representing the agency said there were “inaccuracies”. in in way the agency’s views were described.
She said that UNHCR informed home secretary that it was illegal and added what body remained concerned about risk of “serious, irreparable harm” caused refugees sent to Rwanda.
Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said that criticism of the UN agency of Rwanda’s plan were “damned”, adding that it was “warning about the lack of proper treatment for refugees in Rwanda”.
Sir Keir Starmer called Rwanda’s plan a “chaotic diversion” on Friday, and said labor instead would make a “proper plan with French authorities” to solve people smuggling.
Boris Johnson said he welcomed news from the High Court, tweeting: “We cannot allow people traffickers to put lives in risk and our world-leading partnership will help break business model of these ruthless criminals.
Enver Soloman, Managing Director of Refugee Council, said the government plans push on with in plans despite these legal challenges was “extremely anxious”.
He said: “The government claims that this deal will serve as a deterrent to ending model of people- traffickers have already was refuted with numbers of people traveling through the canal announcement was made almost doubling on in the same time last year”.
