The bill, which foresees the deportation of asylum seekers to Rwanda, will become law after members of parliament give up making changes, paving the way for legal struggles regarding the deportation of dozens of people seeking asylum.
After a marathon “ping-pong” between the House of Commons and the House of Lords over key legislation, the bill was finally passed on Monday night, with opposition and opposing members giving way.
The bill is expected to receive royal assent on Tuesday. Home Office sources said they had already identified a group of asylum seekers with weak legal claims to remain in the UK who would be part of the first tranche to be sent to East Africa in July.
Sunak placed the bill, which would see asylum seekers arriving in the UK irregularly deported to Kigali, at the center of attempts to stop small boats crossing the English Channel.
Home Secretary James Cleverly said it was “a turning point in our plan to stop refugee boats”.
“The law will prevent people from abusing the law by using false human rights claims to prevent their deportation,” James Cleverly said on social media. It also makes clear that the UK parliament is sovereign, giving the government the power to reject temporary blocking measures imposed by European courts.
“I promised to do whatever it took to pave the way for the first flight. That's what we did. “We are now working every day to start flights.” he said.
Meanwhile, International Rescue Committee UK Advocacy Director Denisa Delić said on Monday: “Regardless of the passage of the Rwanda security bill today, sending refugees to Rwanda is an ineffective, unnecessarily cruel and costly approach.
“Rather than abandoning its responsibilities under international law, we call on the government to abandon this misguided plan and instead focus on creating a more humane and orderly migration system in its own country.” said.