A snub for a controversial project. The British Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled that the government’s program to deport asylum seekers who arrived illegally in the United Kingdom to Rwanda was unlawful. This decision, taken unanimously by the five judges, immediately spells the end of a flagship measure in conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s policy of combating illegal immigration.
Before the deputies, Rishi Sunak indicated that his government was already working on a “new treaty” with Kigali which would be finalized in view of this judgment. Announced a year and a half ago, at the time under the government of Boris Johnson, the project to send migrants to Rwanda, whatever their origin, was never implemented.
London continues to toughen its discourse on immigration
In mid-2022, a first flight was canceled at the last minute after a decision by the ECHR. Then at the end of last June, the London Court of Appeal ruled the project “illegal”, finding that Rwanda could not in its current state be considered a “safe third country”.
The Rwandan government, through a spokesperson, said it “disputes the decision that Rwanda is not a safe third country for asylum seekers and refugees”. As a reminder, the country had concluded a five-year agreement and was to receive financial compensation of 160 million euros from the United Kingdom.
London has continued to toughen its rhetoric on immigration. In July, a law was passed prohibiting migrants who arrived illegally in the United Kingdom from seeking asylum, regardless of the reasons which led them to flee their country. The UN denounced a text contrary to international law and expressed concern that “other countries, including in Europe” would be tempted to follow this path.