The UK's first flight carrying asylum seekers to Rwanda has been cancelled at the last minute due to a massive legal setback.
The European Court of Human Rights handed down an 11th hour ruling that has resulted in a massive blow to Boris Johnson’s controversial scheme to relocate immigrants who arrived in the UK via the English Channel.
Seven refugees were set to be sent to the African country, however they've been granted a temporary stay.
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British Home Secretary Priti Patel said in a statement that she was disappointed that legal challenge and last-minute claims’ prevented the plane from taking off, according to ABC News.
She said: "It is very surprising that the European Court of Human Rights has intervened despite repeated earlier success in our domestic courts."
The British Home Secretary also said the ruling would not ‘deter’ the government’s deportation plans as they’ve already prepared for the next flight out.
She said: “We will not be deterred from doing the right thing and delivering our plans to control our nation’s borders. Our legal team are reviewing every decision made on this flight, and preparation for the next flight begins now.”
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Foreign Secretary Liz Truss also maintained that immigrants who merely escaped this flight would be on the ‘next one’.
The Telegraph reports that an Iranian ex-policeman who faces deportation to Rwanda said he had ‘mixed emotions’ according to a statement made by human rights lawyer Shadi Sadr.
"I cannot be happy," he said. "My whole heart is with all the refugees who will be forced to take the flight to [the Rwandan capital] Kigali and seek asylum from the government of Rwanda and according to Rwandan laws."
He added: "I am also still very stressed about what will happen next.”
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Next month, The High Court in London is set to hold legal proceedings to determine the scheme's future.
Since Boris Johnson unveiled his plans to tackle illegal immigration in April, the program has come under fire by politicians and human rights activists.
Shadow residence secretary Yvette Cooper slammed it as ‘unethical’ and said it would worsen the cost of living crisis in the UK, according to The Guardian.
“It is an unworkable, unethical and extortionate policy that would cost the UK taxpayer billions of pounds during a cost of living crisis and would make it harder not easier to get fast and fair asylum decisions,” she said.
Charisa Bossinakis