The Rwandan “solution” to Britain’s illegal immigration problems

The problems associated with illegal migrants entering countries are numerous and different strategies have been discussed or implemented to tackle these challenges. For example, former USA president, Donald Trump, famously suggested building a wall to keep illegal immigrants out of the country. Particularly those illegal immigrants who originate in South and Central America. Now, perhaps more controversially, the British Government has announced a new policy to tackle the number of illegal immigrants crossing the English Channel to enter the country. The government plans to fly illegal migrants to Rwanda where they will be processed, and, possibly encouraged to settle. While this plan has been vigorously supported by Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Home Secretary Priti Patel, there have also been widespread criticism of this scheme by other government ministers. The key question here is, however, why should Rwanda be responsible for such an undertaking, and will this help solve or curb Britain’s illegal immigration problem? 

The UK Government’s latest strategy means anyone who has arrived in the country illegally since 1 January 2022 could be relocated to Rwanda. This, it is hoped, would disrupt the business model of people-smuggling gangs operating in countries like Libya. According to the Prime Minister, this deal is based on the belief or understanding that Rwanda will have the capacity to resettle tens of thousands of people in the years ahead. The five-year trial, would result in many asylum seekers, arriving in Britain through illegal means, being given a one-way ticket to Rwanda. The migrants would be housed temporarily in hostels or hotels in Kigali while their asylum claims are looked into. The Rwandan Government spokeswoman, Yolande Makolo, told Reuters, that once their claims are finalised they will be facilitated so they can be integrated into the Rwandan community. In effect, therefore, Rwanda would become Britain’s ‘offshore territory for illegal immigrants’. Therefore, Rwanda would feel like an alien territory for many of them. Perhaps this is the purpose or part of the rationale of the UK Government to create a deterrence. Through this strategy, Britain would be able to solve its problem of this category of illegal immigrants being prevented from entering the country.  

However, it has to be borne in mind that many of the immigrants crossing the channel illegally are not from Africa. If most of the immigrants were from Africa, it would almost make sense for African countries to play a part in the solution to the problem. In 2021, for example, the BBC reported that,  according to the Home Office, Iranians made up 30 per cent of small boat arrivals, while 21 per cent were Iraqis, 11 per cent Eritreans and 9 per cent Syrians. In previous years, Iranians have made up the vast majority of small boat arrivals – 80 per cent in 2018, and 66 per cent in 2019. However, there has been a greater mix of nationalities making the crossing since 2020.

Apart from illegal immigrants crossing the English Channel, according to the Migration Observatory at Oxford University, in 2019, India, Poland and Pakistan were the top three countries of birth for the foreign-born people living in Britain, accounting respectively for 9 per cent, 9 per cent and 6 per cent of the total. Again, this underscores the relatively low numbers of migrants of African origin entering Britain compared with people from other parts of the world. Perhaps a more global cooperation or alliance was needed to tackle this issue, rather than relying on the Rwanda strategy. It is, of course, too early to comment on the effect of this approach. It does seem ironic, that a relatively poor African country should be asked to play such a major role in helping to solve this particular aspect of Britain’s illegal immigration problem. We can only hope that this strategy will be a deterrent for those individuals crossing the channel. We can also hope the large numbers of migrants will not prove to be the source of social upheavals in Rwanda.  

Tony Talburt Ph.D. is a senior lecturer in Black Studies at Birmingham City University in  Britain.