Home Office Considers Voluntary Repatriation to Rwanda
The department has confirmed that it may request individuals without the right to remain to relocate to Rwanda if they cannot be deported to their countries of origin.
People from overseas who lack the permission to stay in the UK and cannot be sent back to their home nations might be requested to move to Rwanda as part of a new initiative, as stated by the Home Office on Tuesday.
According to reports, the proposed program will utilize an existing framework designed for individuals arriving via small boats, which had not been utilized due to legal barriers hindering the relocation policy.
It was also mentioned that the new initiative would leverage the existing voluntary returns system, which involves an “assisted departure” process offering up to £3,000 to assist eligible individuals in resettling in their home country.
Although no formal payment details have been confirmed by the Home Office, they noted the consideration of voluntary relocations to Rwanda.
A spokesperson stated: “Over the past year, 19,000 individuals voluntarily left the UK, demonstrating a crucial aspect of our efforts to combat illegal migration.
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“We are investigating voluntary relocations to Rwanda for individuals who have no right to remain in the UK, and Rwanda is prepared to receive those individuals seeking to start anew but cannot stay in the UK.
“In addition, our Safety of Rwanda Bill and Treaty, once enacted, will ensure that individuals who enter the UK illegally are sent to Rwanda.”
Shadow immigration minister Stephen Kinnock criticized the government for resorting to incentivizing individuals to relocate to Rwanda after realizing that the original deportation plan was unlikely to succeed.
“We are aware that Rwanda has limited capacity, as specified in the treaty, so ministers should clarify the implications of this new proposal on the original strategy and disclose the anticipated number of individuals to be relocated under this scheme and associated costs,” the Labour spokesperson remarked.
“Given the conflicting reports regarding the Rwanda policy, the public may understandably view this latest development with skepticism,” he added.
Some modifications include ensuring full compliance with domestic and international laws, and stipulating that Rwanda must be deemed safe only when its treaty with the UK is fully implemented and adhered to in practice.
These amendments enable individuals to legally challenge their removal if they feel incorrectly identified as adults. Another amendment prohibits the relocation of individuals who previously supported the British military abroad or were victims of modern slavery or human trafficking.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has cautioned against the House of Lords, which is “appointed,” obstructing the will of the people as expressed by the “elected” House of Commons.
The significantly altered bill received third reading approval on Tuesday and will proceed to the final revision stage known as the ping-pong phase involving both houses of Parliament making last adjustments to the bill.
During the bill’s previous discussion in Commons, opposition parties and some Tory rebels criticized the Rwanda policy, voicing concerns that the bill may not be stringent enough to disrupt what they refer to as legal obstacles delaying deportations.
Evgenia Filimianova contributed to this report.
