The prospect of people who have come to the UK seeking asylum being deported to Rwanda has moved a step closer, one week after the Safety of Rwanda Act was voted into law. On Monday the Home Office began an operation to detain people in dedicated centres, sooner than most had anticipated. A statement described the rounding-up of potential deportees as “the final phase of operationalising this landmark policy”.
The plan is for the first flights to take off in 10 to 12 weeks. Arrangements in Rwanda, including the 50-room “Hope hostel” near Kigali airport, have been made in accordance with the deal signed two years ago.
