BASW Responds to Passing of Rwanda Bill

The Bill was a response to the Supreme Court’s unanimous ruling in November 2023 that the Rwanda scheme – the deportation of asylum seekers who travel to the UK through what the Government describes as an ‘illegal route’ – was unlawful and that it was not a safe country. The Government introduced the Rwanda Bill to sidestep the ruling and proclaim Rwanda a safe country. 

The Bill follows the ‘Nationality and Borders Act’ and the ‘Illegal Migration Act’ to change the processes for asylum seekers who travel to the UK through ‘illegal routes’, which is primarily viewed to be through the crossing of small boats across the channel from France. The Illegal Migration Act permits the UK Government to deport asylum seekers to a ‘safe country’ if they had travelled through such a route. This new Safety of Rwanda Bill allows Rwanda to be that ‘safe country’. 

BASW UK agreed with the Supreme Court ruling and we also view this legislation to be impractical and unethical. Changing the law to make it technically legal does not address practical and ethical considerations. 

We urge the Prime Minister and his government to reconsider their plans and instead put their time and efforts into establishing more safe routes for asylum seekers to use so that they are not forced to use unsafe routes out of desperation to flee persecution. 

The scheme is estimated to have cost the government £290m so far and is expected to total half a billion pounds in the next few years. BASW will continue to monitor the progression of this issue and will add our voice to humane, ethical, and effective ways to respond to people seeking asylum.