London introduced its Illegal Immigration Bill this week. In particular, it plans to prohibit those arriving by the English Channel from seeking asylum in the United Kingdom. This text is strongly criticized by the deputies accusing this project of being inhuman and devoid of empathy.
One of the most scathing criticisms came from the leader of the Green Party of England and Wales who tore up the government’s copy of the Illegal Migrants Bill on Monday during an emotional speech in the House of Commons.
She called the legislation “immoral, deeply cruel and divisive”, Caroline Lucas said the bill had “no place” in British law.
“The Home Secretary, faced with this bill, is calling on Parliament to tear up international law,” she said. “The only act of a parliament that has any sort of moral integrity is to rip up its illegal and immoral bill, which has no place in our statute book,” she added.
The British Home Secretary says she wants to end Channel crossings on makeshift boats. Suella Braverman wants through this bill presented on Tuesday March 7 to automatically expel migrants who arrive in an irregular situation, without them being able to apply for asylum. Apart from the conservatives, the project is unanimously against him.
MPs in the House of Commons voted to give the bill a second reading, but many, including former Prime Minister Theresa May, called for sections to be amended to better protect victims of human trafficking and of modern slavery, especially children.
The government says that, if passed, the legislation will prevent people from seeking ‘unauthorized’ asylum and provide the power to detain migrants for 28 days without bail or judicial review, and possibly indefinitely if there is a ” reasonable prospect” of deportation.
However, the UN has denounced the legislation as an “asylum ban.”
The UNHCR expressed in a statement its “deep concern” that the bill could “abolish the right of asylum in the United Kingdom” for migrants arriving irregularly on the territory, and would constitute a clear violation of the Convention of Geneva: “Those fleeing war and persecution do not have the possibility of obtaining visas and passports and there is no legal route for them”.
The minister did not release any details on the logistics or the implementation date.
English (Canada) 
Français 