London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, May 11, 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
Trump fires director of U.S. Copyright Office, sources say
Retired British police officer arrested over ‘thought crime’ tweet
Cardinal Robert Prevost Elected as Pope Leo XIV, Marking a Historic Papacy
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka Arrested at ICE Facility Amid Congressional Visit
India-Pakistan conflict may be first test for Chinese military tech
Bill Gates Announces Plan to Wind Down Philanthropic Foundation and Disperse Wealth
Historic Papal Conclave Set to Commence in Rome
Huge Copper, Gold, and Silver Discovery in Argentina and Chile — But the Profits Go Abroad
Prince Harry is pleading for reconciliation — but the royals are just as sick of his victimhood as everyone else
The Road to Freedom: She Protested Putin, Escaped House Arrest, and Survived a 2,800-Kilometer Journey
OpenAI's Flip-Flop: No Longer Going Commercial, Back to Nonprofit, After Musk Lawsuit and Backlash
“Trump Supporter” Aims to Bring a MAGA-Style Shift to Romania
First From China: Zhao Xintong Wins the Snooker World Championship
Nvidia Faces Billion-Dollar Losses – Warns: China Is on Its Way to Becoming an AI Superpower
Trump Rules Out Third Term, Names JD Vance and Marco Rubio as Potential Successors
Mexico Says ‘No’ to U.S. Troops: President Sheinbaum Rejects Trump’s Offer to Fight Cartels
Nigel Farage’s Reform UK Storms the Map, Wrecking the Two-Party Monopoly
DOGE: Reimagining Government Operations with AI
Common Sense Returns to Britain's Legal System: UK Supreme Court Declares a Woman Is… a Woman
Beijing Says U.S. Is ‘Reaching Out’ for Tariff Talks Amid Soaring Trade Tensions
U.K. Court Rejects Prince Harry’s Final Appeal Over Police Security
Prince Harry’s Heartfelt Outburst Rocks the Royal Family
Trump Shares AI-Generated Image of Himself as… Pope, Prompting Outrage Reaction
Transgender Swimmer Secures Five Gold Medals at U.S. Masters Championship
Prince Harry: “I Want Reconciliation with My Family”
Germany's Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party has now been officially labeled “right-wing extremist” by the federal office for the so-called “protection of the constitution.”
Amazon Launches Satellite Internet Service Amidst Competition with SpaceX
Transformative Changes in Women's Wrestling: The Rise of WWE Superstars
The Rush to the White Gold: Global Investment Surge in Natural Hydrogen Exploration
This is a day in Spain without electricity and internet
Reform UK Surprises in British Elections, Challenging Traditional Two-Party System
180-Year-Old Christian University in South Carolina Announces Closure Due to Unmet $6 Million Fundraising Goal
Brazilian Woman Jailed for Fourteen Years for Writing “You Lost, Idiot” on Statue During Protest
Trump Administration Removes National Security Adviser Mike Waltz Amid Signal Chat Controversy
Dutch Politician Eva Vlaardingerbroek Receives Spyware Threat Alert from Apple
Paramount Board Considers Settlement in Trump’s $20 Billion Lawsuit Over "60 Minutes" Interview
U.S. Economy Shrink in Trump’s First Quarter as Tariff Policy Raises Questions
Deadline Looms for RTS Meter Replacement: Hundreds of Thousands at Risk of Heating Disruption
Sweden Grapples with Deadly Gun Violence: Suspect Arrested After Three Young Men Killed in Uppsala Hair Salon
Walz Reveals Why Harris Chose Him as Her Running Mate and Reflects on Democratic Losses
Spain Restores Power After Unprecedented Nationwide Blackout
Carney Secures Liberal Mandate in Canada’s Federal Election
Death Penalty Sought as Luigi Manion Pleads Not Guilty in CEO Murder Case
President Trump contacts Jeff Bezos after reports of Amazon considering listing tariff surcharges; company clarifies no such plan for main platform
Spain and Portugal Recover from Massive Blackout
Liverpool Clinches Record-Equalling 20th English League Title Under Arne Slot
Singapore Politicians Warn Against Foreign Interference in Election
Driver Ploughs into Vancouver Festival Crowd, Killing Nine
Depression, Fear of Defamation, and a Tragic End: New Details on Virginia Giuffre’s Suicide
“Sharia for UK, Allah Akbar!”
×