UK's Illegal Migration Bill Becomes Law, Sparking Controversy and Concern

The bill, which aims to make it easier to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda, had been stuck in a battle between the Commons and the Lords, with the upper chamber trying to water down the legislation.

The bill's passage was welcomed by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who said he remained confident that the government would be successful in challenging the policy in the Supreme Court.

The Illegal Migration Bill was criticized by opposition politicians, lawyers, and civil rights groups as inhumane, cruel, and ineffective.

United Nations human rights chief Volker Turk expressed concern that the bill's passage raises "very serious legal concerns" and sets "a worrying precedent for dismantling asylum-related obligations" that other countries may follow.

The legislation will prevent most people from claiming asylum in the UK without permission and will deport them either to their country of origin or a so-called safe country like Rwanda.

The policy has been tied up in the courts, and the first planned Rwanda deportation flight was blocked last year in a last-minute ruling by the European Court of Human Rights.

The passage of the bill coincided with the arrival of a barge to house asylum seekers off the southern coast of England, to which the first group will be moved next week.

The government has defended the use of barges, insisting it is a cheaper alternative to hotels.

Last year, a record 45,755 people came to the UK in small boats across the Channel, mainly from France.

More than 12,000 have arrived so far this year, a rate similar to 2022.