As the government prepares to unveil new powers to crack down on small-boat crossings in the Channel, Rishi Sunak has vowed to put an end to the "immoral" illegal migration trade. The legislation, promised as part of government efforts to tackle illegal migration, could come as soon as Tuesday, as Home Secretary Suella Braverman said that the only way into the UK would be a "safe and legal route". The legislation is expected to make asylum claims from those who arrive in the UK on small boats inadmissible. It would impose a duty on the home secretary to deport anyone arriving on a small boat to Rwanda or a "safe third country" as soon as reasonably practicable.
Arrivals will also be barred from claiming asylum while in the UK, and they will be barred from returning once removed. Sunak said the new powers are a step towards fulfilling his pledge to "stop the boats once and for all". "Illegal migration is not fair on British taxpayers, it is not fair on those who come here legally, and it is not right that criminal gangs should be allowed to continue their immoral trade," he told The Mail On Sunday. "I am determined to keep my promise of stopping the boats. So, make no mistake about it: if you come here illegally, you will not be able to stay." According to The Sun On Sunday, the bill will be published on Tuesday. "Enough is enough," Braverman told the paper. The British people want this problem resolved. "They are tired of tough talk and ineffective action. The boats must be stopped. "That's why myself and the prime minister have been working flat out to bring forward necessary and effective laws which will tackle this problem, once and for all. "It has to be that if you come here illegally, you will be detained and quickly removed. "Our laws will be straightforward in their intent and practice - the only way to the UK will be a safe and legal one."
Sunak has stated that "stopping the boats" is one of his top five priorities, while Braverman has repeatedly stated that he will take a tough stance on illegal migration and Channel crossings. However, campaigners have criticized the government's plans, raising concerns about whether some of the policies are compatible with the European Convention on Human Rights. The Rwanda scheme, too, has run into legal difficulties, and no flights carrying migrants to the Rwandan capital, Kigali, have yet taken off. According to the most recent Home Office figures, 2,950 migrants have already crossed the Channel this year. The prime minister has faced significant pressure from his own backbenchers to address illegal immigration. Downing Street has stated that the legislation will be introduced in due course, but critics have expressed concern about the plans. It was "extremely concerning," said Christina Marriott, executive director of strategy at the Red Cross. "The Home Office knows from its own research that this will also do little to prevent people risking their lives to seek safety. "We hear over and over that people have no prior knowledge of the UK's asylum system, so making it harsher is not an effective strategy," she said. The proposals were described as "vindictive and dysfunctional" by Sonya Sceats, CEO of Freedom From Torture. "This legislation will do nothing to reduce the number of deaths in the Channel or the chaos and incompetence that blights our asylum system, nor will it guarantee sanctuary for those who need it. "Instead, it will result in more torture survivors being denied protection and possibly deported to Rwanda."
By Covenantblog
