FALCON POWERS- The British government announced on Wednesday that it has begun detaining migrants for deportation to Rwanda in a period ranging from nine to 11 weeks, laying the foundation for the immigration policy adopted by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
In April, Parliament approved a law that facilitates the deportation of asylum seekers to Rwanda if they arrive in the UK without permits. Sunak aims to launch the first flights in July. As of this year, over 7,500 migrants have arrived in England by small boats from France, and the government says the deportation policy will deter migrants from making dangerous journeys across the English Channel. Five people lost their lives attempting the crossing last week.
Charities and human rights organizations that oppose this policy are expected to lodge new legal challenges to prevent the flights from taking off, after the UK Supreme Court declared last year that this policy violates the law.
On Wednesday, the UK Foreign Office released photos showing immigration enforcement officials putting a person in a truck and another individual leaving their home in handcuffs.
Home Secretary James Cleverly said in a statement on Wednesday, “Law enforcement teams are working swiftly to detain individuals who have no right to reside here, with the aim of starting deportation flights.”
The charity Care4Calais, which supports refugees, stated that the arrests began on Monday. A spokesperson for the organization said their helpline had received calls from “dozens of people” and added that they do not yet know the date of the first deportation flight.
On Tuesday, The Sun newspaper reported that the UK had sent its first asylum seeker to Rwanda under a separate voluntary program unrelated to the deportation policy.
Natasha Tsangarides, an official at the charity Freedom from Torture, said, “People are extremely afraid,” and added that the fear of being detained and deported to Rwanda may drive migrants to live in hiding and sever their connections with the support system they rely on.
