UK lawmakers debate plan to send migrants to Rwanda

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London, United Kingdom | AFP

British lawmakers on Monday again debated the government's plan to start sending undocumented migrants to Rwanda, with the controversial bill expected to finally pass later this week.

The proposed law has been undergoing legislative "ping-pong", with parliament's elected House of Commons and the unelected House of Lords sending the bill back to each other for amendments.

Sending people to Rwanda is a key part of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's answer to stopping asylum seekers, who risk their lives crossing the Channel from France in small boats.

More legislative to-and-fro is expected over the next few days before the bill is potentially passed on Wednesday by Lords, according to commentators.

The deportation proposal has been mired in controversy and legal challenges since Boris Johnson unveiled it in 2022 when he was prime minister.

Sunak introduced emergency legislation last year after the Supreme Court ruled that sending asylum seekers to Kigali was illegal under international law.

The legislation seeks to compel judges to treat Rwanda as a safe third country and would also give UK ministers powers to disregard sections of international and British human rights legislation.