As surprising as it is, the UK’s proposal to control illegal immigration is outsourcing. Adding to the surprise of this unfavourable and anti-human rights proposal is the denial of destination countries such as Botswana.
Thousands of people arriving in Britain without permission in small boats have led the UK government into a crisis. The UK came up with the idea of outsourcing to other countries such as Rwanda, Botswana, Ivory Coast, Armenia, and Costa Rica.
Despite the UK migration outsourcing failure, the government insists on the plan. The question arises: is outsourcing intended to benefit immigrants or cost them their lives?
Botswana rejecting the proposal to host outsourced immigrants doubled the UK migration outsourcing failure. Migration outsourcing is an inhumane proposal and a ridiculous act by Rishi Sunak as a last-ditch effort to win the election.
Botswana, an African Country, Rejects the UK’s Migration Proposal
Authorities in Botswana report that they recently received proposals from the United Kingdom to send immigrants to their country. The UK is attempting to address increased illegal migration by sending immigrants to Africa.
Botswana rejected “hosting people not knowing what the end game would be,” Lemogang Kwape told VOA. Migration outsourcing has faced significant opposition, with many supporting Botswana’s decision. Jonathan Portes noted he was not surprised by Botswana’s rejection, given the heavy criticism from the UN and other human rights groups.
Kwape emphasized that Botswana rejected the offer due to its immigration challenges. “The British government does not want these people in their country. They want to ferry them to a faraway country. Unwanted immigrants from another country while we’re dealing with our problems in the region would be unfair to Botswana.”
Migration Outsourcing to Rwanda: An Endless Controversy
Rwanda is the first and only country that accepted the UK deal for outsourcing migrants. Rwanda is the start of the UK migration outsourcing failure. Rishi Sunak has invested considerable political capital in stopping illegal immigrants in England from arriving in small boats. Under that plan, the government wants to send thousands of people to Rwanda. However, the Supreme Court ruled the policy unlawful as it would violate British and international human rights laws.
Moreover, choosing Rwanda is highly controversial due to its poor human rights record. To mitigate this, Sunak’s government is pushing legislation through parliament to declare Rwanda a so-called safe country for immigrants. Additional factors include the lack of economic and professional prospects for refugees in Rwanda. High unemployment makes financial independence and self-sufficiency difficult for most refugees.
A Story of Animal-like Treatment of Immigrants in the UK
The UK government claims to aim for a better life for immigrants in African countries by paying them. However, some stories contradict this claim. According to the Lancashire Telegraph, a desperate father described the ‘brutal’ circumstances leading his family to ‘live like animals’ in Africa.
Thuso Raditsebe and his young family, originally from Botswana, fled Africa due to welfare concerns in 2019 and have been seeking asylum in the UK since then. He explained: “We escaped a brutal regime in Botswana. We were tortured and persecuted in our country. The schools in Botswana administer corporal punishment, and my kids have been treated in such a degrading way. Now, in England, we are again being treated in an inhumane and disgraceful way. We have been living like animals for a long time.”
Human Rights in Danger: Disagreements Leading to the UK Migration Outsourcing Failure
According to UN News, two top United Nations officials warned the UK that outsourcing immigrants violates human rights. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights asked the UK to take more practical measures instead. The new legislation marks a further step away from the UK’s long tradition of providing refuge to those in need.
Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, said the legislation “seriously hinders the rule of law in the UK and sets a perilous precedent globally.” The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) NGO Working Group supports Botswana’s position on the UK’s immigration proposal. “We urgently need the UK government to start treating refugees with decency. It must stop trying to send them away to an unsafe future in Rwanda,” Lucy Gregg said.
Rishi Sunak: Insisting on Migration Outsourcing to Win the Election
The immigration outsourcing plan is playing with human lives just to win an election. As claimed by Infomigrants, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is trying to cut irregular migrant arrivals. The UK enters 2024 with elections in the second half of the year. This is the main reason for Sunak’s attempts to solve the migration problem, albeit absurdly. However, legal challenges have prevented anyone from being sent to Rwanda, making it another failure for migration outsourcing.
The legislation is central to Sunak’s pledge to stop the arrival of immigrants. He hopes the deportation flights will reverse the fortunes of his publicly unpopular Conservative Party. Rishi Sunak faces criticism from within his party ranks and from abroad, despite his unfruitful attempts.
Conservative Party’s Predicted Loss in the Upcoming Election
According to Informigrants, polls suggest his Conservative Party will be badly beaten in this year’s election by Labour. The Labour Party has stated it will scrap the scheme if it wins power. Sunak, trailing far behind the opposition Labour Party, hopes to win over the public, even if it means spending public funds on immigration during a time of inflation. Despite significant political and public expenditure, Sunak’s migration outsourcing has faced multiple obstacles. The UK Supreme Court ruled the scheme illegal under international law, leading to the UK migration outsourcing failure.
The scheme to deter migrants from coming to the UK has already cost the UK at least £290 million. However, migrant relocation flights to Rwanda have remained grounded. Many Conservative Party lawmakers find this kind of expenditure too extreme. In this situation, how can they make the party more attractive for the upcoming elections?
Other Outsourcing Destinations and the UK’s Continuous Chain of Failures
Botswana rejected the agreement to place immigrants in its country. The UK government must make more efforts to convince other countries to participate, though success is highly doubtful. Portes noted it is unsurprising that countries like Botswana are turning down the controversial policy, given the heavy criticism from the United Nations and activists.
As reported by VOA, “Frankly, it will be highly unlikely for other countries to participate in this. They are reluctant both from a reputational and practical point of view,” Portes said. “Even Rwanda, despite being offered large sums of money, is regretting or having second thoughts about this policy being sensible.”
Kutlwano Relontle stated that the coalition “calls on the government of Botswana and other countries to distance themselves from this controversial UK program.”
Opposing Parties and the Struggle in the UK for Migration Outsourcing
Rishi Sunak said the prospect of being sent thousands of kilometres away will deter migrants from moving to Britain. His idea faces heavy criticism. Ravina Shamdasani said that shifting the responsibility for refugees seriously hinders the rule of law in the UK and sets a perilous precedent globally, as reported by UNHCR.
According to African News, migrant support groups dispute Sunak’s claims that the policy will stop the boats. “We will not see the boats stop because of this [outsourcing policy]. We will see more deaths; we will see more dangerous risks being taken.” Some rights groups say that countries must work together to provide safe and legal routes for migrants, not outsourcing.
