Update and advice about the Rwanda Bill
News 1 May 2024
Many of you will have seen the news last week that the government passed a law that they believe will allow the Home Office to send some asylum seekers to Rwanda. You may have also seen reports over the weekend about the Home Office planning to detain people this week, with the intention to remove them to Rwanda. We want to acknowledge how frightening this might be for some of you, your friends and family and the community as a whole.
You can find out more information about the Rwanda bill here.
We understand that many of you might have some questions, and we wanted to answer some directly below. If you have any concerns or questions not answered in this email, please reach out to a member of staff.
What is the Rwanda Bill/Law?
- It allows the Home Office to send some asylum seekers to Rwanda as a ‘safe third country’ .
- Once sent to Rwanda, this person would have their asylum claim decided and be on a path to legal residence in Rwanda.
Who will it affect?
According to the Home Office Guidance those who may be selected for removal to Rwanda are:
- A person whose asylum claim is inadmissible – this a complex legal issue but generally your claim could be inadmissible where you arrived illegally in the UK and passed through a ‘safe’ country on the way here. For more information see here.
- A person who claimed asylum in the UK on or after 1 January 2022,
- A person who made a ‘dangerous journey’ to the UK
- A person who is not in a family group with children under 18.
- They have also said they will prioritise those who arrived in the UK on or after 9 May 2022.
Who will this not affect?
- People who claimed asylum in the UK before 1 January 2022 (even if they are still waiting for a decision on that asylum claim) will not be considered for removal to Rwanda.
- Asylum seekers whose claim is not ‘inadmissible’. That includes people whose asylum claim is being decided in the UK and has been finally refused or who were granted refugee status or humanitarian protection.
- Unaccompanied children, at least while they are still children.
What do I do if I receive a notice from the Home Office mentioning Rwanda?
- Speak to a member of staff at Room to Heal straight away and if you have a lawyer then tell your lawyer immediately.
- Before someone is removed to Rwanda they will very likely be detained in immigration detention. If you receive a notice mentioning Rwanda, you should be aware that your risk of being detained will be increased.
What do I do if I need to sign in in person in the coming weeks/months?
- If you claimed asylum in the UK on or after 1 January 2022 please let a member of staff at Room to Heal know if you are going to sign in in person. This member of staff will work with you to make a support plan for you.
How to prepare if you are at risk of being detained?
- Make sure you don’t sign any legal documents that you don’t understand
- If you are at risk of being detained, it is a good idea to write a list of emergency contacts, and to give a copy of this list to someone that you trust.
- Make copies of all your documents. If you are detained, it may become impossible for you to access your documents if they are in your home.
- Scan and email yourself copies of your important legal and other documents relevant to your asylum claim, so that you can access them if you are detained.
- If you are on medication, take this with you when you go to report/sign at the Home Office. You should be able to keep this with you if you are detained, though you will be issued with new medication once you are detained. Also, take a paper copy of your prescription for the medication with you.
- If possible, give a friend a copy of your house or room key. If you are detained, they can go and get essential things for you from your house.
- Your phone will probably be taken from you when you are detained. Keep your important numbers written down (you may want to write a list on a piece of paper and keep this inside your phone cover).
- If you have a smartphone with facial recognition or a fingerprint and it is taken away from you, officers can ask you to unlock the phone for them, but if you use a pin code or password to unlock the phone, you don’t have to unlock it for them.
How can Room to Heal Support you?
- Speak to your caseworker if you are concerned about being removed to Rwanda.
- Let us know if you have received a letter from the Home Office saying you will removed to Rwanda.
- If you have a lawyer provide us with their contact details and permission to contact them so we can offer to provide information about your mental health and participation in the Room to Heal community.
- Please speak to your therapists and share in the therapy group if you feel impacted by this Bill.