UN Endorses UK's Controversial Plan for Deportation of Failed Asylum Seekers

The United Nations has recently given its backing to a plan proposed by the UK Labour Party, which involves deporting individuals whose asylum applications have been rejected to designated return hubs located in the Balkans. Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, exchanged views on this strategy with the leader of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) last month, seeking to align the initiative with humanitarian obligations.

According to the UNHCR's conditions, any plans to return failed asylum seekers must uphold the human rights of refugees. It is stipulated that upon arrival in these third-party countries, individuals should receive temporary legal status, as well as appropriate accommodation and support systems to address their immediate needs, in cooperation with the UK government.

Sources within the government conveyed to The Times that potential host countries in the western Balkans could include nations such as Albania, Serbia, Bosnia, and North Macedonia. One source emphasized that this approach might significantly enhance their legal standing and help assuage concerns among Labour's left-wing MPs. They noted ongoing efforts to collaborate with European countries to combat illegal migration and dismantle human trafficking rings, while also stressing the importance of reestablishing trust in the UK's immigration system, which they claim has been destabilized under the previous Tory administration.

Meanwhile, Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp critiqued the current government, suggesting that a renewed focus on deporting illegal immigrants to locations outside of Europe is gaining traction internationally. He argued that the UK missed an opportunity to lead with its Rwanda removals scheme, which was halted by Labour prior to its launch, resulting in unprecedented levels of illegal crossings this year. Philp highlighted the urgency for a deterrent mechanism against illegal immigration, pointing out that this perspective is becoming more recognized internationally, including by the incoming German government, while criticizing Labour's leadership for not adopting a similar stance.