MIGRANTS are being detained across Britain in preparation to be sent to Rwanda in the next nine to 11 weeks, the government said on Wednesday, laying the groundwork for prime minister Rishi Sunak's flagship immigration policy.
A law to pave the way for sending asylum seekers to Rwanda if they arrived in Britain without permission was approved by parliament in April, and Sunak wants the first flights to take off in July.
More than 7,500 migrants have arrived in England on small boats from France so far this year, and the government says the policy will deter people from making dangerous journeys across the Channel. Five people died trying to make the crossing last week.
Human rights charities and unions opposed to the policy are expected to launch fresh legal challenges to stop the flights from taking off after the UK Supreme Court declared the policy unlawful last year.
Images released by Britain's interior ministry on Wednesday showed a man being put in a van by immigration enforcement officials, and another being led out of his house in handcuffs.
"Our dedicated enforcement teams are working at pace to swiftly detain those who have no right to be here so we can get flights off the ground," interior minister James Cleverly said in a statement on Wednesday.
Sunak has vowed to stop migrants arriving on small boats from mainland Europe. He vowed last week to begin detaining people promptly before deportation flights start within "10 to 12 weeks".
A spokesman for Sunak said the UK leader was pleased that "the first detentions have taken place.
"It's an important part of now operationalising the plan to get flights off the ground in nine to 11 weeks time and provide the effective deterrent that we need to stop seeing these dangerous boat crossings," he added.
Care4Calais, a refugee charity, said the detentions had started on Monday.
A spokesperson said that the group's helpline had received calls from "tens of people", adding that they still did not know who would be earmarked for the first deportation flight, or when it would be attempted.
Britain sent its first asylum seeker to Rwanda under a voluntary scheme, The Sun Newspaper reported on Tuesday, a separate programme to the deportation policy.
"People are very frightened," said Natasha Tsangarides, Associate Director of Advocacy at charity Freedom from Torture, saying the fear of being detained and sent to Rwanda would push some people to go underground and disengage with their support system.
Missing migrants
A senior minister said Tuesday the government expected to deport 5,700 migrants to Rwanda this year, after the interior ministry confirmed that Kigali had "in principle" agreed to accept that number.
Of those, 2,143 "can be located for detention" before being flown there, the ministry said, leaving more than 3,500 currently accounted for. Ministers have insisted the enforcement teams will find them.
The government has increased detention capacity to more than 2,200 spaces ahead of the first Rwanda flights, it said Wednesday.
Commercial charter planes have also been booked and an airport has been put on standby, it added.
Rwanda, home to 13 million people in Africa's Great Lakes region, claims to being one of the most stable countries on the continent and has drawn praise for its modern infrastructure.
But rights groups accuse veteran President Paul Kagame of ruling in a climate of fear, stifling dissent and free speech. UK opposition parties, UN agencies and French President Emmanuel Macron have also criticised the Rwanda scheme.
Sunak's ruling Conservatives argue the threat of being deported to Rwanda will deter tens of thousands of annual cross-Channel arrivals, and insist the policy is already having an impact.
But the main Labour opposition has repeatedly dismissed it a "gimmick" that will not stop the cross-Channel arrivals. (Agencies)
