The House of Lords, the upper house of the British Parliament, has voted to introduce stricter safeguards into a scheme devised by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to send asylum seekers from the UK to Rwanda.
Specifically, the House voted in favor of an amendment stating that the legislation must be in full compliance with international and domestic law, as well as an amendment requiring proof that Rwanda is safe for refugees before planes can leave the country.
The Lords also backed an amendment that would mean flights could not begin until a treaty providing legal safeguards in Rwanda's asylum system is fully implemented.
The media added that the vote by the Lords, where the ruling Tories do not have a majority, in favor of the amendments means that a process called "ping-pong" will be triggered, in which a bill will be passed between the House of Commons and the Lords until an agreement is reached.
On January 18, the Sunak's plan was approved by the House of Commons.
Sunak said that he wants the first deportation flights to leave in the next few months - before a general election expected in the second half of this year - so he can make good on his promise to curb the migration, the so-called "stop the boats."
The UK and Rwanda signed a migration agreement in 2022 under which people identified by the UK government as undocumented migrants or asylum seekers will be deported to Rwanda for processing, asylum and resettlement.
The plan has drawn criticism from human rights organizations and some politicians, who believe the measure will not help stem the flow of migrants. The first deportation of migrants from the UK to Rwanda was scheduled to take place on June 14, 2022. However, the flight was canceled at the last minute due to the European Court of Human Rights ruling.
On November 15, 2023, the UK Supreme Court ruled the plan illegal, however, in early December, UK Home Secretary James Cleverly signed a new agreement with Rwanda on cooperation against irregular migration.