Ireland’s Foreign Affairs Minister Criticizes UK’s Rwanda Deportation Policy Post-Brexit
Ireland’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Micheal Martin, has criticized the UK’s Rwanda deportation policy as a “knee-jerk reaction” to failing to control migration after Brexit. Martin added that the “Rwanda effect” had impacted Ireland, with the Irish government claiming that 80% of asylum seekers in the country had crossed the border from Northern Ireland.
During a visit to Amman, Jordan, Martin stated, “I believe the Rwanda effect is impacting on Ireland. And I think that didn’t happen today or yesterday. It’s been growing since the first iteration and publication of that strategy around Rwanda. I don’t think anyone’s gone to Rwanda yet, but to me, it’s reflective of a policy. It’s more about the rhetoric and the politics than about having any real impact.”
French President Emmanuel Macron also denounced Rishi Sunak’s plans to send asylum seekers to Rwanda as the politics of “cynicism” and a betrayal of European values. Macron warned that the scheme would be “ineffective” and criticized the UK’s approach.
The Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill became an Act of Parliament on Thursday after being granted royal assent. The legislation aims to give asylum seekers a one-way ticket to Kigali, Rwanda, but has faced criticism and legal challenges.
Campaigners have called for the law and other asylum reforms introduced by the UK government to be repealed, warning of potential system meltdowns and high costs to taxpayers. Despite setbacks, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has defended the Rwanda plan as an “indispensable deterrent” and plans to put it into action soon.
The debate over the UK’s Rwanda deportation policy highlights the challenges and controversies surrounding migration control post-Brexit.