Updates, commentary, training and advice on immigration and asylum law

Home Secretary confirms “pause” on processing asylum claims

THANKS FOR READING

Older content is locked

A great deal of time and effort goes into producing the information on Free Movement, become a member of Free Movement to get unlimited access to all articles, and much, much more

TAKE FREE MOVEMENT FURTHER

By becoming a member of Free Movement, you not only support the hard-work that goes into maintaining the website, but get access to premium features;

  • Single login for personal use
  • FREE downloads of Free Movement ebooks
  • Access to all Free Movement blog content
  • Access to all our online training materials
  • Access to our busy forums
  • Downloadable CPD certificates

Having presumably learned from their much criticised mishandling of certain trafficking cases, the government published a statement yesterday stating that they have paused consideration of asylum claims from a certain group. Those affected are people who arrived on or after 1 January 2022 and who received a notice of intent before 29 June 2023 which said that they may be removed to Rwanda. The statement says:

On 15 November 2023, the Supreme Court found that removal of asylum seekers to Rwanda was, based on the evidence reviewed at that time, unlawful. However, the Court recognised that changes could be made in the future to address its findings. In light of this, the Home Secretary has decided to maintain a general pause in the making of inadmissibility decisions in relation to this group at this time whilst work is completed to address the Court’s findings as these individuals remain in scope for inadmissibility action. Pending completion of this work, decisions will only be taken in the event that the Home Secretary considers that there are compelling reasons why this should be necessary in the individual case in question.   

The statement concludes by saying that decision making will resume once the Safety of Rwanda Bill receives Royal Assent, “at which point removals of individuals in this group to Rwanda can take place”. These cases cut across the first two of the new backlogs, and tens of thousands of people will be affected, very few if any of whom will ever be sent to Rwanda.


Interested in refugee law? You might like Colin's book, imaginatively called "Refugee Law" and published by Bristol University Press.

Communicating important legal concepts in an approachable way, this is an essential guide for students, lawyers and non-specialists alike.

Relevant articles chosen for you
Picture of Sonia Lenegan

Sonia Lenegan

Sonia Lenegan is an experienced immigration, asylum and public law solicitor. She has been practising for over ten years and was previously legal director at the Immigration Law Practitioners' Association and legal and policy director at Rainbow Migration. Sonia is the Editor of Free Movement.

Comments