UK: First refugee flight to Rwanda prepares to depart

After an appeals court refused yesterday to block the deportation, the British Government is set to deport asylum-seekers of various nationalities to Rwanda.

The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi criticized the policy, saying that this sets a dangerous precedent for migrants fleeing war and oppression. 

The government said that the first deportation flight would go ahead Tuesday as scheduled.

The Rwanda asylum plan, officially the UK and Rwanda Migration and Economic Development Partnership, is an immigration policy first proposed by the British government, whereby individuals identified by the United Kingdom as being illegal immigrants or asylum seekers will be relocated to Rwanda for processing, asylum, and resettlement.

The first flight under this plan is scheduled for 14 June 2022 and has received legal clearance from the High Court.

The United Kingdom has stated that asylum in the country will still be granted on an individual basis, although that depends on the strength of each claim.

Rwanda has stated that they will not accept immigrants with criminal records, nor will it accept families or anyone under the age of majority. (ILKHA)