Fri | Sep 19, 2025

UK judge rejects bid to ground Rwanda deportation flight

Published:Friday | June 10, 2022 | 2:18 PM
Protestors stand outside The Royal Court of Justice in London, Friday, June 10, 2022. The High Court will hear a legal challenge lodged by Care4Calais, the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) and Detention Action, opposing the Home Office's new asylum deal with Rwanda. The case alleges that Priti Patel's proposals are in contravention of international law and the UN refugee convention. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

LONDON (AP) — A British judge on Friday rejected a bid to ground a flight due to take more than 30 asylum-seekers on a one-way trip to Rwanda next week, but gave the migrants permission for a last-minute appeal.

The flight leaving Tuesday is the first under a controversial deal between the United Kingdom and the East African country.

Britain plans to send some migrants who arrive in the UK as stowaways or in small boats to Rwanda, where their asylum claims will be processed.

If successful, they will stay in the African country. Human rights groups have called the idea unworkable and inhumane.

Judge Jonathan Swift on Friday refused a request from a group of the asylum-seekers, backed by a trade union and refugee groups, for an injunction grounding the flight.

But he said an appeal could be heard on Monday, and a full legal challenge to the British government's new Rwanda deportation policy is to be held before the end of July.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Britain's immigration minister, Home Secretary Priti Patel, welcomed the ruling. Patel said the government would “not be deterred” by further challenges.

Enver Solomon, chief executive of the Refugee Council, said he was disappointed and called the situation “extremely worrying.”

At the High Court in London, government lawyer Mathew Gullick said 37 people had been due to be aboard Tuesday's flight, but six have had their deportation orders cancelled.

He said the government still intended to operate the flight, as well as future ones.

The British government has not provided details of those selected but refugee groups say the group includes people fleeing Syria and Afghanistan who arrived in Britain across the English Channel. The UK has paid Rwanda 120 million pounds ($158 million) upfront for the plan.

The claimants' lawyer, Raza Husain, said “the system is not safe” and UN officials say the UK plan violates the international Refugee Convention.

Follow The Gleaner on Twitter and Instagram @JamaicaGleaner and on Facebook @GleanerJamaica. Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-876-499-0169 or email us at onlinefeedback@gleanerjm.com or editors@gleanerjm.com.