A British judge has rejected an emergency bid to block deportation flights of asylum-seekers to Rwanda set to start next week under an agreement with the east African country, ruling politicians must manage immigration policy.
The UK government intends to fly the first planeload of claimants to Rwanda on June 14, after agreeing the plan with Kigali in a bid to deter illegal migrants from undertaking perilous crossings of the Channel by boat.
Refugee rights groups and a trade union representing UK Border Force personnel challenged the plan in London’s High Court, seeking an injunction against Tuesday’s inaugural flight and any beyond then.
They argue that the plan violates asylum seekers’ human rights, and say the government cannot justify its claim that Rwanda is a safe destination.
But delivering his decision after a one-day hearing, Judge Jonathan Swift said it was in the “public interest” for Interior Minister Priti Patel “to be able to implement immigration control decisions”.
However, Swift gave permission for his ruling to be appealed, suggesting Court of Appeal judges would hear the case on Monday, whilst also setting the date for a fuller two-day High Court hearing next month.
Patel welcomed the move, saying the government “will not be deterred in breaking the deadly people smuggling trade and ultimately saving lives”.
Enver Soloman, chief executive of the Refugee Council, said it was “extremely worrying that despite these legal challenges and widespread concern, the government remain determined to press ahead”.
More than 10,000 migrants have made the journey so far this year, a huge increase on prior years.
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