Five Lives Lost: Rishi Sunak Mourns Channel Crossing Tragedy, Advocates Rwanda Plan
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak expressed tragedy over the deaths of five people, including a child, who attempted to reach the UK by crossing the English Channel.
Sunak emphasized the need for his plan to send some asylum seekers to Rwanda, stating it would break the business model of criminal gangs responsible for the crossings and was a matter of compassion.
Parliament recently approved the Safety of Rwanda Bill, allowing flights to Rwanda to proceed under the assumption that it is a safe country for asylum seekers.
Sir Keir Starmer, the Labour Party leader, criticized the British government's plan to send asylum seekers who enter the UK illegally from safe countries like France to Rwanda as a costly "gimmick" that would only remove a small percentage of illegal arrivals.
He suggested that the funds be used instead to enhance border security and disrupt human trafficking rings.
The government is anticipating legal challenges to the policy.
The UK government is considering a new policy to offer refugee status and settlement to migrants and refugees who reach the UK legally through approved channels, instead of risking the dangerous journey across the English Channel in small boats.
This policy aims to reduce the number of people attempting the crossing, which has seen over 6,000 people make the journey so far this year, a 25% increase from the same period last year.
Tragically, on Tuesday, five people including a seven-year-old girl died while trying to make the crossing from France.
Parliament recently approved the Safety of Rwanda Bill, allowing flights to Rwanda to proceed under the assumption that it is a safe country for asylum seekers.
Sir Keir Starmer, the Labour Party leader, criticized the British government's plan to send asylum seekers who enter the UK illegally from safe countries like France to Rwanda as a costly "gimmick" that would only remove a small percentage of illegal arrivals.
He suggested that the funds be used instead to enhance border security and disrupt human trafficking rings.
The government is anticipating legal challenges to the policy.
The UK government is considering a new policy to offer refugee status and settlement to migrants and refugees who reach the UK legally through approved channels, instead of risking the dangerous journey across the English Channel in small boats.
This policy aims to reduce the number of people attempting the crossing, which has seen over 6,000 people make the journey so far this year, a 25% increase from the same period last year.
Tragically, on Tuesday, five people including a seven-year-old girl died while trying to make the crossing from France.
