The controversial bill proposed by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to deport refugees to Rwanda may face a delay until next month, following the upper house of parliament’s defeat of the government’s proposal.
The parliament has reinstated demands for increased protections before proceeding with the bill. Despite the government’s intention to relocate asylum seekers arriving in Britain via small inflatable boats to Rwanda, legal obstacles have prevented any deportations to the East African country thus far, Reuters reported.
The legislation is central to Sunak’s pledge to stop the arrival of asylum seekers and he hopes the deportation flights will reverse the fortunes of his Conservative Party, which is heavily trailing in the polls with the next election looming.
In a second vote on Wednesday, unelected members of the House of Lords, predominantly composed of former politicians and government officials, opted to amend the legislation once more to introduce additional safeguards aimed at protecting the rights of asylum seekers.
The House of Lords voted in favour of amendments mandating ministers to consider “due regard to domestic and international law” and another specifying that Rwanda would only be deemed a safe country once a treaty with Britain had been established.
These setbacks for the government indicate that the bill will be returned to the House of Commons, initiating a process dubbed “parliamentary ping-pong,” during which both chambers strive to reconcile their differences.
The ensuing back-and-forth implies that the bill is unlikely to be enacted into law until after parliament reconvenes from its Easter break, which is expected to occur in the middle of next month at the earliest.
Cost of Sunak’s Rwanda asylum plan
Back in June 2023, a comprehensive government analysis of a high-stakes commitment to address record numbers of people arriving in tiny boats, showed that the UK’s proposal to transport asylum seekers to Rwanda will cost £169,000 ($215,035) per person.
The cost of deporting each person to Rwanda, according to the government’s economic impact assessment, would include an average payment to Rwanda of 105,000 pounds for hosting each asylum seeker, 22,000 pounds for the flight and escorting, and 18,000 pounds for processing and legal costs.
The British government has also proposed a plan to pay asylum seekers up to £3,000 ($3,836) apiece to migrate to Rwanda. To be eligible, the asylum seekers must voluntarily opt for the option.
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