The Archbishops of Canterbury and York – as well as 23 other bishops – wrote a letter to the Times claiming that no attempt had been made to “understand the plight” of those affected. Following the failure of two legal challenges, a plane is scheduled to depart later for the Rwandan capital, Kigali, but it is unclear how many asylum seekers will be on board. Their letter states: “Whether the first expulsion flight leaves Britain today for Rwanda, this policy should embarrass us as a nation. “The shame is ours, because our Christian heritage should inspire us to treat asylum seekers with compassion, justice and fairness, as we have done for centuries.” Religious leaders have called for the fight against “evil trafficking” to be provided by providing safe routes for refugees trying to reach the UK, adding: “Deportations and the possible forced return of asylum seekers to their countries of origin are not the way.” . It comes just days after the Prince of Wales described Conservative politics as “disgusting” and after Imam Qari Asim, the senior imam at Makkah Mosque in Leeds, said it was “challenging our human conscience and forcing us to talk about human dignity”. “. Read more: What is it like to be a refugee in Rwanda? The asylum seeker says he would rather die than be sent to Rwanda. Why are migrants being sent to Rwanda and how will it work? The Archbishop of Wales and the Catholic Archbishop of Westminster also criticized the policy – as did charities, human rights groups and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. Three more lawsuits are expected to be heard in the Supreme Court on Tuesday. These are brought by people who face removal on the first flight. Use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:41 Judges reject offer to suspend immigrant flight to Rwanda The government has said it aims to prevent people from making dangerous crossings through the English Channel through weak small boats run by smugglers. A government spokesman said: “We welcome the court ruling in our favor and will now continue to pursue our world-leading immigration partnership, which will help prevent loss of life and break the business model of miserable traffickers. “Rwanda is a safe country and has been recognized in the past for providing a safe haven for refugees – we will not be discouraged from carrying out our plans to repair the damaged asylum system that will ultimately save lives.” Use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 3:09 Inside the Rwandan Immigrant Hostel Last year, more than 28,000 people crossed the Channel in small boats – more than three times the number seen in 2020. More than half were either Iranians or Iraqis, with people from Eritrea and Syria crossing, according to the Interior Ministry.
