The Illegal Migration Bill: A Contention between human rights and democracy

Home Secretary Suella Braverman outlines new legislation stating that if people come to the UK ‘illegally’ they will be detained, deported and banned from re-entry, with only very few exceptions.

As far as the Modern Slavery act is concerned, this act will not apply to people that come to the UK ‘illegally’, and individuals over the age of 18 will be deported.

What is ‘illegal’ immigration?
The UK government state that migrants that travel from or through safe countries to the UK to claim asylum are illegal migrants and therefore detainment and deportation is justified in their bid to stop the boats crossing the channel. The government would then proceed to deport migrants either back to their own country if it is safe or to Rwanda.

The Illegal Migration Bill is pushing the limits of international law by a variety of conventions that the UK has been signed up to with the United Nations, but more importantly, the European Convention on Human Rights.

Amnesty International say the rights of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers are protected by international law regardless of how they arrive in a country. They have the same rights as everyone else plus special or specific protections.

‘We’re not breaking the law’

-Suella Braverman

Braverman claims the government is not breaking the law and no government representative has said they are breaking the law. They believe they are in compliance with all of the international obligations, for example, The Refugee Convention, The European Convention of Human Rights along with other conventions.

Braverman explains that migrants are abusing the generosity of the British people and the government need to ensure that they are deterred from doing that, and the model of the people smuggling gangs are broken.

However, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that everyone has the right to seek and enjoy asylum from persecution in other countries.

‘Nearly 1,000 people cross in single day’

BBC News

The Ministry of Defence has published statistics reporting that at least 1,000 migrants cross the channel to the UK in just one day and have described it as the Calais migrant crisis.

There is also mounting public pressure on the government to deal with this migrant crisis including the colossal back log in asylum seeker processing as well as the costly use of hotels to house asylum claimants.

Over the course of the last several years the Conservative government has been promising to deal with the migrant crisis from former Prime Ministers; David Cameron and Boris Johnson to our current Prime Minister, Rushi Sunak. So, with 18 months until the next general election is the government forgoing human rights in favour of appeasing the electorate and anti-immigrant sentiment?

This bill cannot be the answer. So, what is?

The Rwanda plan will not stop small boat crossings. Expensive deals with France will not stop people smugglers. Neither will keep refugees safe.

We know it is possible to give people safe passage – we do it for Ukrainian refugees – so why not do it for other refugees?

By using an online screening process and issuing travel visas, we could bring refugees to the UK safely to claim asylum – putting people smugglers out of a job. This worked for Ukrainians. So why won’t the Government act?

You can help spread the word that there’s a kinder and more effective way to stop Channel crossings and save lives. Share the video now, it takes just 30 seconds.