Delays in policy to send migrants to Rwanda fuels record crossings
‘News of the legislation gives the smugglers arguments to urge migrants to cross quickly’
‘At the moment, it seems a bit of a game of bluff. No one has been sent to Rwanda yet’
THE number of Channel migrants reaching the UK hit a record over the bank holiday weekend amid claims that delays in plans to send asylum seekers to Rwanda have fuelled the crossings.
The arrival of more than 580 migrants in small boats on Sunday and yesterday took the total this year past 7,000, treble last year’s rate for the same period of time.
It followed 11 days of bad weather that had prevented crossings, prompting speculation – dismissed by government sources – that the Rwanda plan was already deterring migrants.
Last night, Pierre-henri Dumont, a Calais MP, claimed the policy had in fact created a window of opportunity for people-smugglers to exploit.
He said there was evidence criminals were encouraging migrants to board boats before the measures take effect.
“From what I heard from migrants, it seems that the news of the legislation in the UK with Rwanda gives the smugglers the availability of new commercial arguments to urge migrants to cross quickly,” said Mr Dumont. Tory MPS and Border Force officials also admitted it could “get worse before it got better”, as they warned that the Rwandan policy would only be effective as a deterrent once the flights started and migrants realised they would be sent 4,000 miles from the UK to claim asylum in the African state.
Tony Smith, the former director-general of the Border Force, said: “If you can show people will fly from Manston [the Kent RAF base where they will be held] to Rwanda, that will hit the smuggling gangs and the migrants. At the moment, it seems a bit of a game of bluff. No one has been sent to Rwanda yet.”
Boris Johnson was said to have wanted the first flights of migrants sent to Rwanda to leave by the end of this month but government sources said last night they were likely to be delayed by legal challenges from charities Care4calais, Detention Action and the Public and Commercial Services union.
One senior source said: “We will fight the legal claims but it will take time to do so. We hope to do [the flights] as soon as possible. It’s not going to be quick. We want to make sure it is done properly and right.” But Tories have urged the Government to press ahead with the flights regardless.
Tim Loughton, a member of the Commons home affairs committee, said: “What is absolutely essential is that in the next few weeks and months, there are high-profile images of plane loads of people going to Rwanda.
“They need to know that if they pay £3,000 or £4,000 to a people-smuggler to risk their lives crossing the Channel, it is now going to be a lottery whether they end up in a hotel in Kent or on a
plane to Rwanda where you are going to have a different existence.”
He urged Priti Patel, the Home Secretary, to press ahead with the flights rather than wait for the legal challenge.
“What she needs to do is just do it, get challenged then see what needs to be done, if there is a legitimate case coming to court,” he said.
He was backed by Sir Iain Duncan Smith, the former Tory leader, who said the Government needed to face down the lawyers.
“All they need to do is get on with it. All they are doing is within the existing rules, and within the current legislation,” he said.
The Home Office is understood to have told lawyers challenging the policy that there will be no removals to Rwanda before May 10, when they have to respond to a pre-action letter from Care4calais, Detention Action and the Public and Commercial Services union. The groups claim the policy
breaches the refugee convention and human rights laws.
Instalaw, a firm representing two asylum seekers who entered the UK this year, has issued judicial review proceedings that the Government cannot agree an international deal without first seeking the approval of parliament.
The charity Freedom from Torture has also issued a pre-action letter, claiming the Government failed to properly consult over the plan and demanding ministers publish their policy documents.
Migrants arriving in the UK after crossing the Channel are given a notice of intent that their asylum claim is inadmissible before those identified for Rwanda flights will get five days’ notice of their removal to Africa.
Care4calais said yesterday that of the 64 migrants it surveyed in France, 87 per cent had heard of the plan and 75 per cent said that “it won’t put them off crossing to the UK”.
Although most said they would continue, one charity volunteer said some had now left and abandoned hopes of crossing because of fears of being sent to Rwanda.