A London Court of Appeal is set to hear an appeal on Monday to overturn the ruling of unlawful deportation of migrants to Rwanda, which is one of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s key policies.
Court of Appeal’s Ruling
In June, the Court of Appeal concluded that the scheme to send thousands of migrants over 4,000 miles (6,400 km) to East Africa was not lawful. The court stated that Rwanda could not be treated as a safe third country, as those sent there would be at risk of being sent back to their home countries where they could face persecution, despite having a legitimate asylum claim.
The court deemed this policy unlawful under Britain’s Human Rights Act (HRA), which incorporates the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) into British law.
This ruling dealt a significant blow to Prime Minister Sunak’s pledge to halt the arrival of thousands of migrants in small boats on the English south coast.
Government’s Appeal
The government will argue at the United Kingdom’s Supreme Court that the ruling was incorrect. Conversely, those representing migrants from Syria, Iraq, Iran, Vietnam, and Sudan will seek for the judges to conclude that the scheme itself is unlawful.
The political implications of this case are substantial, and the final ruling, expected by the end of the year, could have far-reaching consequences.
Prime Minister Sunak, whose Conservative party is trailing by approximately 20 points in opinion polls ahead of an election anticipated next year, has made it a top priority to “stop the boats” as part of his strategy to turn his party’s fortunes around.
Surveys have indicated that immigration, a crucial factor in the 2016 referendum vote for Britain to leave the European Union, remains a major concern for voters. Moreover, the majority of the public believes that the government is mishandling the issue.
Rwanda Deportation Flight and Controversy
The government’s initial planned deportation flight to Rwanda was scheduled for June 2022 but was blocked at the eleventh hour by an injunction from the European Court of Human Rights. The flight was to be delayed until all legal actions in the UK had been concluded.
Many within Prime Minister Sunak’s party advocate for Britain’s withdrawal from the ECHR to prevent a similar situation in the future. On another note, Home Secretary Suella Braverman referred to the Human Rights Act as “the Criminal Rights Act” during a recent speech to party members.
Prime Minister Sunak asserted at the Conservative conference that he was confident their approach complied with international obligations and vowed to “do whatever is necessary to stop the boats.”
Global Migration Challenges
This court case coincides with governments worldwide grappling with how to manage the arrival of hundreds of thousands of migrants fleeing war zones or seeking better lives in the Western countries.
In the United States, President Joe Biden’s administration announced plans to add sections to the border wall in order to combat the increasing number of crossings from Mexico. In Europe, governments are wrestling with how to deal with the arrival of hundreds of thousands of migrants from Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.
Migration was a top agenda item when the EU’s 27 leaders convened last week, following an estimated 250,000 migrants arriving this year. Germany has implemented border checks to crack down on human traffickers.
Reuters/NAN
