As you will all know at the very last hour on 14 June the flight to Rwanda was cancelled due to the intervention of the European Court of Human of Rights. By this stage the original flight list of 130 asylum seekers had been reduced to only 3. Those who were forced onto the plane shared their truly harrowing experiences about being threatened, kicked and pushed. The National Independent Commission on Enforced Removals (2012) set up by Citizens UK set up after the Jimmy Mbenga tragedy made recommendations to avoid this happening again and on how to treat people being deported with dignity and humanity. This is also Lib Dem policy since 2018. Sadly the current government is not interested in how asylum seekers are treated.

The Home Office has told over 100 people that they face deportation to Rwanda, with the first flight scheduled this coming Tuesday (14 June). Numbers listed for this flight are reducing but we need to keep up the pressure.
Children and young people with family here in the UK are among those who face being sent 4,000 miles away to a country with a poor human rights record.

The plan only works if airlines take the Government's money to help them carry it out.

Most major airlines steer clear of deportations, thanks to tireless campaigning by grassroots groups and NGOs - most brands don't want to be associated with human rights abuses and misery. But some smaller airlines have refused to rule themselves out of this scheme.
The Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI) has joined the campaign that is urging airlines not to get involved in these deportations - and need your help to stop these planes. Without the support of these private airlines, the Government won't be able to carry out its cruel plans.

We were extremely disappointed by the recent Court decision upholding deportations to Rwanda. The appeal hearing is being held on Monday 13 June. The first flight taking deportees to Rwanda is on Tuesday 14 June. If you want to show your disgust at the government's cruel and humane policy you can:

• Join the All Day Protest at the Royal Courts of Justice (9.00am-5.00pm) Strand London WC2A 2LL. There is also a protest outside the Home Office in Masham Street at 5.30pm
• Join other protests across the country. See CareforCalais webpage outlining different ways you can help which includes info about demos taking place across the UK
• Detention Action, Care4Calaisand Freedom from Torture continue to raise funds for legal action.

The Home Office has recently published further details on its plans to offshore people seeking asylum it deems inadmissible, with new country guidance, an equality impact assessment and updated inadmissibility rules.

Journalists and campaigners have been quick to point out that these documents make clear that LGBTQI+ refugees will be deported to Rwanda despite the UK Government's own updated country guidance conceding there are significant concerns about the safety of the LGBTQI+ people in the country.

Meanwhile, Women for Refugee Women have just succeeded in getting permission for a legal challenge to Hassockfield/Derwentside. Action Foundation is also hosting a guest blog from No To Hassockfield about the campaign. The blog also looks at Action Foundation's Action Access pilot and community alternatives to detention.