TOBY MELVILLE / AFP
The British Parliament last week adopted a very controversial law allowing illegal migrants to be deported to Rwanda.
“The first irregular migrants to be expelled to Rwanda were taken into custody following a series of nationwide operations this week.writes the Ministry of the Interior in a press release, without specifying the number of people concerned.
More arrests “should be carried out in the coming weeks”, he adds. With its press release, the ministry released photos and a video showing law enforcement officers arresting migrants. “This action is a key part of the plan to ensure flights to Rwanda in the next nine to eleven weeks”continued the ministry.
Rishi Sunak is “pleased that the Ministry of the Interior carried out these operations”declared his spokesperson, welcoming “an important element in the deployment of the plan to take off flights in nine to 11 weeks and ensure effective deterrence” to prevent crossings of the Channel on small boats. Mr Sunak’s Conservative government has promised to put an end to these crossings by illegal migrants. More than 7,500 have arrived since the start of the year, a historic record for the first four months of the year.
First voluntary departure
Parliament adopted a very controversial law last week allowing some of these migrants to be expelled to Rwanda. Their asylum application will be examined in the East African country and they will not be able to return to the United Kingdom, whatever the outcome. The government plans to begin evictions in early summer.
This policy “will make it clear that if you come here illegally, you cannot stay”reiterated the Ministry of the Interior in its press release. “Our teams (…) are working at a rapid pace to quickly stop people who have no right to be here, so we can get flights off the ground”, declared Interior Minister James Cleverly, quoted in the press release. Commercial flights have been booked, the ministry said. The government indicated on Tuesday that it hoped to deport to Rwanda “by the end of the year” an already identified group of 5,700 people.
A first migrant was deported to Rwanda on Monday, according to British media, but as part of another program, based on volunteering. This migrant who was offered 3,000 pounds (around 3,500 euros) agreed to leave for this East African country on a commercial flight after his asylum request was rejected. The announcement of the migrant arrests comes two days before local elections in England and Wales, in which the Conservatives are likely to suffer heavy losses.