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UK PM takes a blow as court rules deportation of immigrant to Rwanda unlawful
This judgment comes as a major blow to Prime Minister Sunak, who is already facing challenges such as high inflation, dwindling public support, and mounting pressure from his party and the public to address the issue of migrant arrivals in small boats.
On Thursday, the Court of Appeal declared that the British government’s plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda is illegal, which is a setback for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s efforts to curb migrants crossing the English Channel in small boats.
A panel of three senior appeal judges, with a majority decision, ruled that Rwanda cannot be considered a safe third country for deportation purposes. Last year, the government had made arrangements to send tens of thousands of asylum seekers, who arrived on British shores, to Rwanda.
Meanwhile, the first planned deportation flight was halted last year when the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) issued an injunction, preventing any deportations until ongoing legal proceedings in Britain concluded. Likewise, in December, the High Court ruled the deportation policy as lawful. However, this decision was challenged by asylum seekers from various countries and human rights organizations, including those from Syria, Iraq, and Iran.
Judge Ian Burnett, announcing the Court of Appeal’s ruling, stated that the asylum system in Rwanda had significant shortcomings. He highlighted the substantial risk that individuals sent to Rwanda might ultimately be returned to their home countries where they could face persecution or inhumane treatment. It should be noted that Judge Burnett disagreed with the other two judges on the panel.
This judgment comes as a major blow to Prime Minister Sunak, who is already facing challenges such as high inflation, dwindling public support, and mounting pressure from his party and the public to address the issue of migrant arrivals in small boats. Sunak has made “stop the boats” one of his top five priorities, hoping that a decrease in arrivals would boost the chances of an unexpected victory for his Conservative Party in the next national election.