UK Home Office task forces are “working at an accelerated pace” to quickly and safely apprehend migrants who may be transferred to Rwanda, Rishi Sunak’s government said on Wednesday.
A government statement said more people were due to be transferred in the coming weeks and that the work by Home Office task forces was “an important part of the plan to operate flights to Rwanda over the next nine to 11 days.” weeks.”
“This activity represents another important milestone in the Government’s wider plan to end small boat crossings, which we will reduce by more than a third in 2023,” says the English chief.
It argues that “Rwanda’s policy will discourage migrants from making dangerous journeys across the canal.” [da Mancha]” because it will make it clear that anyone who enters the UK illegally will not be able to remain in the country.
He adds that the Home Office has increased detention capacity to more than 2,200 detention facilities and trained 200 new staff to “process applications quickly, as well as train 500 highly qualified escorts.”
“Commercial charter flights were also booked and the airport was put on alert,” he adds.
On the other hand, the British government states that “Rwanda has repeatedly proven its ability to offer asylum seekers the opportunity to build new and prosperous lives through housing, education, training and employment.”
“The country has a long and successful track record of resettling people, has taken in more than 135,000 refugees and stands ready to welcome thousands more who cannot remain in the UK,” he adds.
Britain deported its first asylum seeker to Rwanda on Monday under its voluntary program for rejected migrants, British media reported.
According to media reports, the man, believed to be from the African continent, arrived on a commercial flight.
The asylum seeker agreed to be deported to Rwanda and receive a payment of up to £3,000 (€3,500 at current exchange rates) in return, government sources quoted by the Times said.
Although the process has been controversial from the outset and has generated long and heated parliamentary debate, the Ministry of Interior states that “the government’s Rwandan Security Act and international binding treaty reaffirm and guarantee the security of Rwanda and this policy.”
“The treaty directly responds to the December Supreme Court findings by strengthening Rwanda’s asylum system to ensure that no one is returned to an unsafe country after resettlement. Based on the treaty, the law confirms that Rwanda is a safe country in terms of the consequences of resettlement,” he argues.
Home Secretary James Cleverley said in a statement that the partnership with Rwanda “is an innovative response to the global problem of irregular migration.”