UNHCR Slams UK Government's Asylum Bill, Calls it a "Clear Breach" of International Law

Strategic Insights -

The UK government's plans to deport asylum seekers who arrive on small boats without considering their claims have been met with fierce criticism from the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), which has called the proposal a "clear breach" of international law. The UNHCR has stated that the bill would amount to an asylum ban, denying protection to many genuine and compelling cases, and would undermine a longstanding humanitarian tradition. The agency urged the government to reconsider the bill and pursue more humane and practical policy solutions.

Key Takeaways:

  • The UNHCR has stated that the UK government's asylum bill is a "clear breach" of international law, specifically the Refugee Convention.
  • The bill would impose a legal duty on the home secretary to remove anyone who arrives on a small boat, either to Rwanda or another "safe third country" without hearing their asylum claim.
  • The UNHCR has said that the bill would deny protection to many asylum-seekers in need of safety and protection, and even deny them the opportunity to put forward their case.
  • The agency has stated that the "vast majority" of small boat migrants would be granted refugee protection if the UK considered their claims.
  • The UNHCR has called for the government to reconsider the bill and pursue more humane and practical policy solutions.
  • The agency has said that resettlement programmes "remain very limited and can never substitute for access to asylum", which people must be present in the UK to claim.
  • The UNHCR has stated that the plan undermines the "very purpose" of the 1951 Refugee Convention.

Statistics:

  • The UNHCR has stated that Afghans are the largest nationality currently crossing the Channel, making up a significant proportion of small boat migrants.
  • The agency has said that the vast majority of small boat migrants have been granted refugee protection in the past if their claims were considered.
  • The UNHCR has pointed out that the UK has not been "part of any agreement" for transferring asylum seekers between safe third countries since Brexit.

Sources:

  • UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), "UK asylum bill: UN urges government to reconsider", 2023.