CAMPAIGNERS have lost a High Court bid to block the UK Government’s plan to send migrants to Rwanda, paving the way for the first flight to go ahead on Tuesday.
Migrants due to be given a one-way ticket to the east African nation as part of Home Secretary Priti Patel’s bid to curb Channel crossings, as well as campaign groups and a union, had asked judges to block their upcoming deportation flight.
Up to 130 people had been notified they could be removed.
The court heard 31 people were due on the first flight on Tuesday, with the Home Office planning to schedule more this year.
Lawyers for almost 100 migrants had submitted legal challenges asking to stay in the UK with the remaining anticipated to follow suit.
The first stage of action was brought on Friday by lawyers on behalf of two migrants alongside the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS), which represents more than 80% of Border Force staff, as well as groups Care4Calais and Detention Action who are challenging the policy on behalf of everyone affected.
Judge Mr Justice Swift ruled against the claim and said: “I do not consider that the balance of convivence favours the grant of the generic relief.”
Home Secretary Priti Patel said: “I welcome the court’s decision in our favour, and will now continue to deliver on progressing our world-leading migration partnership.
“People will continue to try and prevent their relocation through legal challenges and last-minute claims, but we will not be deterred in breaking the deadly people smuggling trade and ultimately saving lives.
“Rwanda is a safe country and has previously been recognised for providing a safe haven for refugees – we will continue preparations for the first flight to Rwanda, alongside the range of other measures intended to reduce small boat crossings.”
Enver Soloman, chief executive of the Refugee Council, said: “We are disappointed about today’s result, and it is extremely worrying that despite these legal challenges and widespread concern, the Government remain determined to press ahead with the removal of people to Rwanda as soon as next week.
“The Government are refusing to see the face behind the case. We have already had to directly intervene to stop young people being deported to Rwanda because they were falsely assessed as adults. We fear this is a threat to many more young people who are being wrongly held in detention, putting them at great risk.
“These are vulnerable people and scared children who are alone, many of whom have undertaken perilous journeys to come to the UK in hope of safety. No one risks their own, or family’s, life unless they are running from dangers more acute than they face on these journeys.
“Government claims that this deal would act as a deterrent to end the model of people-traffickers, have already been disproven with the numbers of people travelling across the channel since the announcement was made almost doubling on the same time last year.
"We always knew these measures would do little to stop desperate people making dangerous journeys to the UK, because they do absolutely nothing to address the reasons people come.
“We do however know from our work directly with those impacted that they are just causing more human suffering, destress and chaos with far reaching consequences for vulnerable people who are simply in desperate need for safety.
“The Government must reflect on the initial failures of this plan, and rethink by looking to operating an orderly, humane, and fair asylum system.”
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