Chancellor Jeremy Hunt backs the Rwanda deportation scheme as a vital part of the UK’s efforts to reduce illegal migration, facing opposition and legal hurdles.
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has publicly defended the UK government’s Rwanda deportation scheme, a plan designed to relocate certain asylum seekers to Rwanda, despite increased scrutiny over its cost and effectiveness. This scheme is part of the government’s broader strategy to manage and reduce illegal migration to the UK, particularly focusing on the surge of migrant crossings in the English Channel. Despite implementation challenges, such as the need for new legislation and overcoming court rulings, Hunt asserts that the initiative has contributed to a reduction in overall crossings by more than a third compared to the previous year.
Simultaneously, Home Secretary James Cleverly is pursuing alternative strategies to discourage illegal migration. One such strategy involves launching social media campaigns in countries like Vietnam and Albania, aiming to deter individuals from undertaking dangerous journeys to the UK. These campaigns focus on exposing the risks associated with illegal migration, including the dangers of modern slavery and unauthorised employment, and are part of efforts to undermine the operations of criminal gangs exploiting vulnerable migrants.
The government’s approach, however, has encountered obstacles, including parliamentary opposition, particularly from the House of Lords, which has led to revisions and debates concerning the legislative underpinnings of the Rwanda deportation scheme. The ongoing challenges underscore the complexities of addressing migration issues, with officials like Hunt and Cleverly publicly emphasizing different aspects of the government’s multifaceted strategy to control and mitigate illegal immigration into the UK.
