UK's controversial Rwanda Bill becoming law after it passed through parliament

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) - The British government's Rwanda Bill will become law after it passed through parliament, paving the way for deportation of asylum seekers to the East African country.

After the passing of the bill late Monday, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said early Tuesday that their focus is now to "get flights off the ground."

"I am clear that nothing will stand in our way of doing that and saving lives," Sunak said in a statement as the controversial deportation plan passed Monday night when the Lords dropped their opposition.

He recalled that they introduced the Rwanda Bill to deter vulnerable migrants from "making perilous crossings and break the business model of the criminal gangs who exploit them."

"The passing of this legislation will allow them to do that and make it very clear that if you come here illegally, you will not be able to stay," added Sunak.

House of Lords have been pushing back the bill with several amendments to the bill which seeks to deport asylum seekers arriving in the UK via small boats to Rwanda.

However, it will soon become law after both MPs and peers have agreed to the plan although lawmakers late Monday voted against amendments to the Safety of Rwanda Bill earlier.

Earlier on Monday, ahead of the vote in the Commons, Sunak said his government is pressing ahead with plans to deport individuals to Rwanda, with the first flights expected to depart in 10-12 weeks.

"The landmark legislation means that going forward, Rwanda should be deemed a safe country for the purposes of relocating people, including in UK courts and tribunals," according to a statement by the government.

With the passing, ministers will be able to retain the decision on whether to comply with interim measures from the European Court of Human Rights.

The bill aims to address the concerns of the UK Supreme Court, which ruled that the government's original plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda was unlawful.

The bill compels judges to regard Rwanda as a safe country and gives ministers the power to disregard parts of the Human Rights Act.

The Rwanda plan had been one of the most controversial plans of the government's migration policy as it sparked international criticism and mass protests across the UK.

In January last year, Sunak said tackling small boat crossings by irregular migrants across the English Channel was among five priorities of his government as more than 45,000 migrants arrived in the UK that way in 2022.