British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s plan to make it easier to send those seeking asylum to a safe, third country, in this case Rwanda, is about to become law after the government overruled attempts by the parliament’s upper house to make possible changes to the legislation, per Reuters.
The Illegal Migration Bill had previously been battled over by the House of Commons and the House of Lords, Britain's unelected upper chamber.
The upper chamber had reportedly made several changes to the piece of legislation in an effort to water it down.
The last of the proposed changes to the legislation were voted down early Tuesday. It will now go for Royal Assent, where it’s officially approved by the King and becomes law.
However, the effort to deport asylum seekers has been condemned by various opposition lawyers, politicians, and civil rights groups as cruel, ineffective, and inhumane, according to the report. Additionally, the UN human rights chief Volker Turk said that the new bill raises “very serious legal concerns” and sets “a worrying precedent for dismantling asylum-related obligations” that other countries may follow.
When the deportation bill does take effect, it appears that asylum seekers will not be put on flights to Rwanda until the start of next year. The bill is part of the government’s plan to stifle migrants coming to the country by boat from France.
Additionally, the bill will also prevent most people from claiming asylum in Britain without permission, and will subsequently deport those who don’t have permission to Rwanda.
