Anger as first asylum seekers detained for Rwanda deportation

The detention of the first asylum seekers identified for deportation to Rwanda has been described as "utterly shameful" by a local councillor and activist. With plans to deliver flights to the east African nation in the next nine to 11 weeks, the Home Office has started a series of nationwide raids this week.

The government said its operational teams within the Home Office have been working at pace to "safely and swiftly" detain individuals, with "more activity due to be carried out in the coming weeks". It says the move aims to deter people from crossing the English Channel in small boats.

But refugee activist and councillor in Folkestone Bridget Chapman described the government's action as "utterly shameful". She added: "The government are terrorising people who have come here simply to seek safety and rebuild their lives.

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"They have shut down all safe routes to asylum and become ever more spiteful in the way that they treat those in need of sanctuary. This is just the latest in a series of increasingly chaotic and desperate measures that they have put in place. This one will fail as all the others have, but in the meantime, we will have caused immense damage and harm to those targeted in this way."

The Home Office said it has increased detention capacity to more than 2,200 detention spaces, trained 200 new caseworkers to quickly process claims and has 500 highly trained escorts ready. Commercial charters have also been booked and an airport has been put on standby, it has now been confirmed.

Calls for safe routes

Bridget added: "I speak to a lot of people in my community and the key message I get is that they want those in need to have safe routes, and to be treated with kindness and compassion. This is the opposite of that. It's not what my community wants to see and I believe that up and down this country good people firmly reject this inhumanity."

The government's Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Act 2024 received Royal Assent and became law on April 25. Home Secretary James Cleverly said: "Our Rwanda Partnership is a pioneering response to the global challenge of illegal migration, and we have worked tirelessly to introduce new, robust legislation to deliver it.

"Our dedicated enforcement teams are working at pace to swiftly detain those who have no right to be here so we can get flights off the ground. This is a complex piece of work, but we remain absolutely committed to operationalising the policy, to stop the boats and break the business model of people smuggling gangs."

Rwanda is hosting more than 135,000 refugees, according to the British government. A Home Office spokesperson said: "The government’s Safety of Rwanda Act and internationally binding treaty reaffirm and ensure the safety of Rwanda and this policy.

"The treaty responds directly to the Supreme Court’s findings in December, by strengthening Rwanda’s asylum system to ensure no one will be returned to an unsafe country after relocation. Building on the treaty, the Act confirms that Rwanda is a safe country for the purposes of relocation."

Kent Refugee Action Network previously said they are worried about their young people being deported. A spokesperson said: "Looking at the news on Channel crossings, many will just see numbers. Our young people are not simply statistics: they are individuals with their own characters.

"As well as Rwanda, there has been talk of those seeking refuge being returned to the countries they fled. We know from our young people, this is not an option: most left because their lives were in danger - and they will be in even more danger by going back.

"People will be removed to a country they have no connection to, despite the ruling of our country's Supreme Court that it is unsafe for them."

Home Office documents show that of 5,700 asylum seekers identified for deportation, contact has been lost with 3,557. This means only 2,145 of them "continue to report to report to the Home Office and can be located for detention".

What to do if you are detained, according to Action against detention and deportation:

• If you are detained, do not sign anything without legal advice

• Call organisations and charities including, detention action, BID, care4calais, GDWG, SDS and JCWI.

If you are told they will deport you to Rwanda, you can fight your deportation by contacting:

• Wilson Solicitors LLP: 0208 8087535, rwandareferrals@wilsonllp.co.uk

• Duncan Lewis Solicitors: 033 3772 0409

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