The British-Rwandan Deal

Written by Connor Foster | November 19, 2023

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Last spring the British and Rwandan governments made a deal to relocate asylum-seekers from the UK to Rwanda. The proposal was made by Conservative British politicians as a way to stem the flow of asylum-seekers entering the UK, which so far have totaled 20,000 in 2023.  Current Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has used populist ideals of slowing the flow of migration as a rallying point for the Conservative Party. This has gained traction due to combined factors of local authorities struggling to manage the inflow of people and the national housing crisis. Initial estimates showed that the deal, if enacted, would cost the British government $158 million to get it off the ground. The decision was received with condemnation from opposing politicians and human rights groups who assert that the deal is inhumane and unethical.

Due to the contentious nature of this plan, it has gone through multiple court systems in the UK to determine its legality. After passing through lower courts, the British Supreme Court finally ruled against the deal this past week. A group of five migrants challenged the plan by arguing that Rwanda cannot be considered a safe country for asylum-seekers. According to the European Convention on Human Rights, an asylum-seeker is protected from being returned to the country in which they are seeking asylum from. The Supreme Court asserted in its ruling that Rwanda has a history of ignoring this obligation and ultimately sending asylum-seekers back to circumstances where they will likely face torture or death. Despite the court’s decision, Prime Minister Sunak released a statement reaffirming his commitment to stopping the boats of migrants. Some in the government have even gone so far as to assert that the UK should leave the European Convention on Human Rights in order to forge ahead with the Rwanda deal.