London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Jul 26, 2025

Illegal Migration Bill risks breaching human rights obligations, watchdog warns

Illegal Migration Bill risks breaching human rights obligations, watchdog warns

Plans aimed at stopping people crossing the Channel in small boats risk breaching the UK's human rights obligations, a watchdog has warned.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) said the government's Illegal Migration Bill also risked exposing people to serious harm.

It said it was particularly worried about the possibility of children and pregnant women being detained.

The government said the bill was "within our international obligations".

The legislation, which will see its remaining stages debated in the Commons on Wednesday, would prevent anyone arriving in the UK illegally from claiming asylum.

Instead they would be detained and removed, either to Rwanda or another "safe country".

The power to detain and remove individuals also covers children and pregnant women, although the home secretary has said unaccompanied children would only be removed before they reach 18 under limited circumstances, such as for the purposes of family reunion.

The government says the plans are central to achieving Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's pledge to stop small boat crossings - one of his five key priorities.

However, they have faced criticism from opposition parties and charities, who have argued the bill is unworkable and could breach international law.


The EHRC said it was "seriously concerned" the legislation risked "placing the UK in breach of its international legal obligations to protect human rights".

It said the bill "undermines the core principle of the universality of human rights" and risked breaching the international Refugee Convention, which the UK is signed up to, by restricting the right to asylum and penalising refugees.

The commission also highlighted provisions removing protections for victims of trafficking and modern slavery as "particularly worrying".

However, it welcomed the government's commitment to increase safe routes for those seeking asylum to come to the UK and recommended these were brought forward alongside the bill.

The government promised to set out details of safe and legal routes and any proposals for new routes in an amendment to the bill, following calls from some Conservative MPs including Tim Loughton.

Senior Tories including former Prime Minister Theresa May have raised concerns victims of modern slavery would be denied help under the bill, while others are worried about provisions allowing children to be detained.

But the government has also been under pressure from Tory MPs on the right of the party to toughen up the bill and make it easier for the home secretary to ignore attempts by European judges to halt deportations of migrants from the UK.

A government amendment to the bill published on Monday states that interim injunctions by the European Court of Human Rights do not affect the duty to remove individuals who arrive in the UK illegally.

However, any amendments have to be approved by MPs and peers, some of whom have already raised concerns the proposal could breach international law.

The bill is expected to face significant opposition in the House of Lords and legal challenge if it becomes law.

Asked about criticism of the bill, the prime minister's official spokesman said: "We cannot allow a system to continue which incentivises people to risk their lives and pay people smugglers to come here illegally."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
Microsoft, US Lab to Use AI for Faster Nuclear Plant Licensing
Trump Walks Back Talk of Firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Irish Tech Worker Detained 100 days by US Authorities for Overstaying Visa
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
×