By First flight taking asylum seekers to Rwanda to leave today
Seven or eight people are due to be sent from the UK to Rwanda later today in the controversial plans to send asylum seekers out of the country.
Dozens won legal cases to be taken off the flight list leaving the country but more legal challenges are set to be heard.
Church of England leaders described the plan as an “immoral policy”.
A last-ditch attempt to block the flight altogether was rejected by the Court of Appeal on Monday as three more legal challenges from those set to depart are expected to be heard in court before the flight leaves this evening.
Foreign secretary Liz Truss said the flight will take off and those not on Tuesday’s flight will be on subsequent flights.
She said it would “establish the principle” and break people traffickers’ business models.
Speaking to BBC Breakfast, Ms Truss confirmed the flight will depart as scheduled even if only a small number of people were on board, describing it as a “key part of our strategy for tacking the appalling people smugglers who are trading in people’s hopes and dreams”.
She said: “If people aren’t on the flight today, they will be on subsequent flights to Rwanda.
Ms Truss added the government was prepared to “face down” future legal challenges to its plans, adding: “It’s about making sure that people have a safe future in Rwanda and we’re determined to follow through on it”.
Tuesday’s flight is the first in a five-year trial, in which some asylum seekers deemed to have entered the UK illegally are transported to Rwanda to claim refuge there.
They will get accommodation and support while the Rwandan government considers their application, and if they are successful they can stay in the country with up to five years’ access to education and support.
If their asylum claim is unsuccessful, they will be offered the chance to apply for other immigration routes, but could face deportation from Rwanda.
