deportation bill

The passage of British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s bill to deport refugees to Rwanda may be delayed until at least next month after the upper house of parliament demanded greater protections. The government aims to relocate thousands of asylum seekers who arrive in Britain on small boats each year to Rwanda, but legal challenges have prevented any deportations so far. The legislation is key to Sunak’s pledge to stop the arrival of asylum seekers, aiming to improve his Conservative Party’s standing in polls. The House of Lords voted to amend the legislation for more safeguards for asylum seekers, causing a delay in the bill becoming law until after parliament’s Easter break. The UK’s Supreme Court previously ruled the deportation policy unlawful due to risks to the deportees’ safety. Sunak’s government is attempting to pass the bill by declaring Rwanda a safe country for asylum seekers and modifying parts of human rights law to prevent legal challenges.