The London Court of Appeal will determine today, Thursday, the legality of a British plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda, in a ruling that may shape Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's success or failure in fulfilling his promise to prevent migrants from arriving by boat. Under an agreement signed last year, the British government intends to send tens of thousands of asylum seekers reaching its shores on a journey of over 6,400 kilometers to the East African nation.
The European Court of Human Rights issued a last-minute ruling that halted the first scheduled deportation flight for asylum seekers last year, ordering the court to prohibit the deportation of any asylum seeker until the legal proceedings in Britain are completed. The Supreme Court in London ruled in December that the deportation policy was lawful, but several asylum seekers from various countries and human rights organizations challenged the decision.
The appeal court is set to announce its decision at 9 AM GMT. A ruling in favor of the government does not mean that deportations will begin immediately, as there may be further appeals, and an order from the European Court of Human Rights prevents the deportation of any asylum seeker until three weeks after the legal proceedings in Britain conclude. A government official indicated that "if the judges find the plan lawful, deportation flights could begin later this year if the courts reject any further legal appeals."
Sunak views the deportation plan as crucial to deter asylum seekers arriving from Europe. The government reported this week in its first detailed economic assessment of the policy that each asylum seeker deported to Rwanda will cost an average of £169,000 ($213,450). Critics of the legislation argue that "the government’s policies aim to garner political support and will not address the root problems." They add that "there are currently no legal pathways for most asylum seekers fleeing wars or persecution to request asylum in the UK, leading many to see the dangerous small boat crossings as the only option."
Last year, a record number of 45,755 individuals arrived in Britain in small boats across the English Channel, most of them from France. Since the beginning of this year, 11,000 have arrived so far at a similar rate to the first half of 2022.
