United Kingdom | Ukrainian refugees fear deportation to Rwanda

ANDgovernment of Boris Johnson has reached an agreement with Rwanda. The UK will pay all asylum seekers who believe they have arrived illegally to be sent to the Central African country for ordering.

Pritti Patel, the Minister of the Interior, recently traveled to Rwanda to sign a contract and visit the facility. In the House of Commons he presented his project: “Those who travel to the UK via illegal and dangerous routes may be transferred to Rwanda, where their asylum claims will be considered.”

But among these Ukrainian volunteers working in London there is concern. Some of them are refugees. In fact, while we were recording at a support center, an undocumented Ukrainian family came to ask for advice. Given the situation they do not want to be filmed.

Maxim Hovoluk, a volunteer advising refugees, claims to know a large number of undocumented Ukrainians living in London. tell us that “They are very worried, they are afraid.”

In the same support center, Valeria Tiktovatell us:“I can’t imagine moving to another continent with a different culture, so far from everything I know and leaving my life here. I don’t think any of us would want to be in that situation, so why should we put people in that situation?” this? in that situation?” same situation.”

The reason Ukrainian refugees are attracted to the UK is largely because there is already a sizeable Ukrainian population. Due to permanent administrative delays, many visa applications are delayed and not processed.

Some have decided to enter Britain through the back door with the same urgency as when they left Ukraine. Unlike the UK, Ireland has removed visa requirements for Ukrainians.

This means that refugees who arrive there can enter the UK via Northern Ireland, thanks to an open border agreement.

Can undocumented Ukrainians who have entered the UK illegally be sent to Rwanda while their applications are decided? The government has confirmed that technically the system can work like this. Something that has been well received by some MPs from Boris Johnson’s Conservative Party. A system they believe will deter illegal immigrants.

Andrew Bridgen is a Conservative MP and supports the transfer of refugees to Rwanda:“We will have legislation in place that makes it easier for criminal foreigners to be deported including those who have committed a criminal act entering the UK illegally and undocumented.”

But Interior Minister Priti Patel assured euronews that the Ukraine visa program in the UK prevents Ukrainian citizens from traveling here illegally. And for him it can’t be a problem: “There is no reason why Ukrainian nationals in the UK are undocumented – they are here lawfully and legally, as you can hear me say, firstly through our visa route and secondly through their status in the UK. UK. Rwanda, which is a partnership for migration and economic development, actually addresses the broader issue of illegal migration.”

The government designed this policy to prevent migrants from making the dangerous decision to travel across the English Channel. The fact that it also applies to undocumented Ukrainians could be an unintended consequence, but stems from the new law.

Elena Eland

"Web specialist. Incurable twitteraholic. Explorer. Organizer. Internet nerd. Avid student."

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