London (Uk) – The senior leadership of the Church of England have condemned the government’s plan to deport illegal immigrants to Rwanda as “an immoral policy that shames Britain”.
In a letter to The Times, the archbishops of Canterbury and York, plus the other 23 bishops in the House of Lords, said the controversial move “should shame us as a nation”.
The letter is being published to coincide with the first deportation flight taking off for Rwanda tomorrow.
Judges sitting at the Court of Appeal rejected a last-ditch appeal by campaigners for the flight to be grounded.
The decision upholds an earlier ruling from the High Court that it was in the “public interest” for the government to be able to implement its policies.
Under the asylum plan, illegal immigrants who enter the UK from France via small boats or in lorries will be flown to more than 4,000 miles Rwanda for “processing”.
They will be expected to apply for asylum there and will not return to the UK.
Boris Johnson has repeatedly defended the policy, arguing it is necessary to deter people-smuggling gangs from organising dangerous crossings in the Channel.
In their letter, the bishops say: “Whether or not the first deportation flight leaves Britain today for Rwanda, this policy should shame us as a nation.”
They go on: “The shame is our own, because our Christian heritage should inspire us to treat asylum seekers with compassion, fairness and justice, as we have for centuries.”
The letter adds: “Deportations, and the potential forced return of asylum seekers to their home countries, are not the way.
The Earlier Reaction from The Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury has spoken against a plan by the British government to reject tens of thousands of migrants and asylum seekers and send them to the East African country of Rwanda.
In his Easter sermon, Justin Welby reacted to the proposal that has been described as lacking in care towards those forced to flee their countries. He said that there are “ethical questions about sending asylum seekers overseas” and the measures announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Home Secretary Priti Pattel cannot stand up to the judgment of God.
He said that as a country formed by Christian values, “sub-contracting out our responsibilities, even to a country that seeks to do well, like Rwanda, is the opposite of the nature of God.”
UK/Rwanda agreement
Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the proposal , saying that his government had struck an agreement with Rwanda, that will see some people who arrive in the UK as stowaways or on small boats, sent to the East African country where their asylum claims will be processed.
Johnson justified the plan saying the move will discourage people from making the dangerous attempt of crossing the English Channel, and will also put people-smuggling gangs out of business.
Last year alone, more than 28,000 migrants entered the UK across the Channel. Several dozens have died in the process, including 27 in November when a boat capsized.
The Home Office in charge of implementing the arrangement with Rwanda said that Britain had settled hundreds of thousands of refugees from around the world. However, it notes that the world is facing a global migration crisis on an unprecedented scale and a change is needed to fix the current resettlement system.