Government's Rwanda deportation scheme ruling can be appealed, High Court says
16 January 2023, 16:13
The Government's plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda can be challenged at the Court of Appeal, the High Court has said.
A series of legal challenges against the Home Office's policy were dismissed by two judges in December after a challenge in the High Court.
The High Court today gave the green light for aspects of their ruling to be re-evaluated by senior judges.
The Court of Appeal will be asked to consider a range of issues, including whether judges were wrong to find there were sufficient safeguards to prevent asylum seekers being returned to a country where they were at risk of persecution.
Asylum Aid, which provides legal advice to asylum seekers and refugees, will challenge parts of the December ruling related to the safety of Rwanda for migrants.
Read More: Russia threatens to 'burn' Britain's Challenger 2 tanks sent to Ukraine
The scheme came about when former Home Secretary Priti Patel signed an agreement with Rwanda to receive migrants considered to have arrived "illegally" in the UK under new immigration rules.
The plans have faced a number of challenges, culminating in the first deportation flight - due to take off on June 14 - being grounded.
In December, however, senior judges at the High Court rejected claims the policy was "unlawful".
While they rejected claims the policy was unlawful, judges did rule in favour of eight asylum seekers, finding the Government had acted wrongly in their cases.
Despite the ruling, current Home Secretary Suella Braverman said she remained "committed" to sending migrants to Rwanda as soon as possible.
The Home Office previously said ministers "stand ready" to defend against further legal challenges to the Rwanda deportation policy.
