Britain aims to send the first group of asylum seekers to Rwanda in two weeks as part of a policy which the government says is designed to break people-smuggling networks and stem the flow of migrants across the Channel.
In April, Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government announced plans to send some of the people who sought asylum in Britain to Rwanda in a plan that drew criticism from both within and outside Johnson’s Conservative Party and many charities.
On Tuesday, the Home Office said that an initial group of migrants have started to receive formal letters telling them they are being sent to Rwanda to “rebuild their lives in safety”.
“The Removal Direction confirms that they will be going to Rwanda and when,” Britain’s Home Secretary Priti Patel said. “The first flight is expected to occur next month, on the 14th of June.”
The plan to send unwanted asylum seekers to Africa comes as Johnson faces the growing threat of a confidence vote. Some of his lawmakers say they have lost faith in his leadership over illegal parties held at his residence during COVID-19 lockdowns.
Concerns over immigration were a significant factor in the 2016 Brexit vote, and Johnson has been under pressure to deliver on his promise to “take back control” of Britain’s borders.
Last year, more than 28,000 migrants and refugees made the crossing from mainland Europe to Britain, mostly in small boats.
The government has dismissed criticism that the policy lacks compassion, saying it is worse to encourage a system where people smugglers exploit many asylum seekers.
The Home Office did not say how many asylum seekers would be on the first flight to Rwanda.
