The United Nations called on Britain on Tuesday to reconsider plans to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda, warning that it would jeopardize the rule of law and establish “a perilous precedent globally”.
The UK government’s contentious Rwanda program has faced legal challenges since 2022, but it was approved by parliament late on Monday following a protracted debate between the upper and lower chambers.
UN rights chief Volker Turk and UN refugee chief Filippo Grande urged the government to “reconsider” the scheme and instead “take practical measures to address irregular flows of refugees and migrants, based on international cooperation and respect for international human rights law” in a statement.
The government has faced rising pressure to reduce the record number of asylum seekers crossing the Channel from northern France in small boats, particularly after promising a harsher approach to immigration after the UK left the European Union.
Its idea would require judges to recognize Rwanda as a safe third nation.
It would also allow asylum application decision-makers the authority to disregard portions of international and domestic human rights legislation in order to circumvent a UK Supreme Court verdict that putting migrants on a one-way ticket to Kigali is illegal.
The UN officials stated in their statement that the measure will “restrict the UK courts from properly scrutinising removal decisions, leaving asylum-seekers with limited room to appeal even if they face significant risks”.
“By shifting responsibility for refugees, reducing the UK’s courts’ ability to scrutinise removal decisions, restricting access to legal remedies in the UK and limiting the scope of domestic and international human rights protections for a specific group of people, this new legislation seriously hinders the rule of law in the UK and sets a perilous precedent globally,” Turk cautioned.
“The new legislation marks a further step away from the UK’s long tradition of providing refuge to those in need, in breach of the Refugee Convention,” he said.
“This arrangement seeks to shift responsibility for refugee protection, undermining international cooperation and setting a worrying global precedent.”
The UN refugee chief highlighted Britain’s “proud history of effective, independent judicial scrutiny”.
“It can still take the right steps and put in place measures to help address the factors that drive people to leave home, and share responsibility for those in need of protection, with European and other international partners.”