The current state of the Rwanda Policy following the election of a Labour Government:

The former Conservative governments Rwanda policy, which entailed deporting asylum seekers to Rwanda, has undergone revision since the arrival of the Labour government in the UK. A High Court hearing initially set to address deportation flights on 24 July 2024 was changed to a case management hearing following Labour’s election and their commitment to scrapping the policy.

The cases of SM, SY, and YXY were to be considered, challenging the legality and safety of the Rwanda policy. Over the weekend, the Prime Minister confirmed the policy’s cancellation. As a result, the court updated its stance, indicating no planned deportation flights and agreeing to consider asylum claims within the UK.

However, Asylum Aid’s challenge regarding the safety of Rwanda continues until the government clarifies its broader position. Currently, those in the paused cohort, numbering around 5,000, and more than 100,000 people in the asylum system, face an unlawful situation, as there is no prospect of deportation to a safe third country. The government has not provided a timeline for resolving these claims, leaving affected individuals the option to seek judicial review, particularly if facing adverse consequences.

Though it appears the Rwanda policy is in its decline, we will have to observe how the Labour administration cope with the backlog of asylum seekers in the UK and the rising negative sentiment.