British publication The Sun reported on Sunday, November 17, 2024, that allies of the 47th President of the United States had confirmed plans to adopt the scheme originally drawn up by the former British Tory government but cancelled by Sir Keir Starmer when he took over as Prime Minister in July.
According to sources, the incoming administration's plans include sending illegal migrants to Rwanda and a number of other countries.
'Trump campaigned on a promise to crack down on illegal immigrationâ€"and he is determined to stick to it,' a source close to Trump's camp was quoted as saying.
'His team is looking at the Rwanda scheme. He is considering deporting illegal migrants to Rwanda and other countries so they cannot stay on American soil.'
The UK-Rwanda migration scheme, officially known as the "UK-Rwanda Asylum Partnership Agreement," was announced by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson in April 2022. Under the scheme, the UK government proposed sending individuals who had arrived in the UK illegally, particularly those who crossed the English Channel in small boats, to Rwanda for processing their asylum claims.
The UK government had agreed to pay Rwanda £370 million over five years to relocate illegal immigrants there. Part of the money was used to build the Hope Hostel, where the migrants were supposed to stay. The building remains unoccupied and could potentially be used by another country.
During his campaign, Trump promised to address illegal immigration in the U.S. by deporting immigrants who are in the country illegally and restricting legal immigration. The Republican accused the Democratic administration led by Joe Biden of being too lenient on border control, leading to an influx of illegal immigration through the U.S.-Mexico border.
Notably, between January 2021 and September 2024, U.S. authorities recorded an astonishing 10 million "encounters" with migrants believed to be attempting to cross into the country illegally.
Besides the U.S., another country under pressure to adopt a similar scheme to the UK and Rwanda is Germany.
Seasoned German Parliamentarian Alexander Throm had in July urged the government to utilize the preparatory efforts undertaken by the UK to enhance their own plans.
The spokesperson for Germany's center-right CDU/CSU faction said since Rwanda was ready to work with European countries on migration cooperation, the termination of the UK deal means more "capacity" for Germany.
'We should stick to the plan and make use of the preparations our British partners made for it,' the Member of the German Parliament for Heilbronn told a local publication. He was referring to the statement by the Government of Rwanda that it was ready to find solutions to the global migration crisis, despite the abandonment of the UK-Rwanda scheme by Starmer's administration.
Wycliffe Nyamasege
