King Charles Grants Royal Assent: UK's Rwanda Deportation Plan Now Law

The legislation central to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda has been given royal assent by Britain's King Charles.

Royal assent, the final stage in the legislative process, effectively rubber stamps the decision taken by parliament earlier this week to approve the bill after a long battle between the government and opponents of the plan.

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King Charles Gives A Green Flag To UK's Rwanda Deportation Plan

The Royal Assent was announced in the House of Lords on Thursday, meaning the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill will now become law. The legislation was approved by parliament in the early hours of Tuesday morning. It was announced by Sunak on Monday that he expected the first flights to Rwanda to take off in 10 to 12 weeks after it was passed.

UK's Rwanda Deportation Plan

The plan, which is specifically aimed at those deemed to have entered the UK illegally after January 1, 2022, has been proposed by the government. If successful, refugee status could potentially be granted to these asylum seekers, allowing them to stay in Rwanda.

Alternatively, if their claims are unsuccessful, they may have the option to seek asylum in another "safe third country" or apply to settle in Rwanda on other grounds, according to a report by the BBC. Under this arrangement, no asylum seeker would have the option to apply to return to the UK.

The rationale behind deporting asylum seekers is argued by the government as a deterrent to individuals attempting to arrive in the UK via small boats across the English Channel, as reported by Hindustan Times.

Details regarding the number of individuals on these flights have not been disclosed, but plans for "multiple flights a month through the summer and beyond" were mentioned by Sunak.

Preparations have reportedly been made by the government, including increasing detention spaces to 2,200 and deploying 200 dedicated caseworkers to expedite processing. Additionally, 25 courtrooms and 150 judges are available to handle legal cases associated with the plan, according to the report.