LONDON, April 23 (Xinhua) -- The British government's flagship Rwanda bill is set to become law after months of wrangling ended in a parliamentary showdown on Monday night.
The bill, which has faced fierce opposition for months, designates Rwanda as a safe country and is a key part of the government's plans to send some asylum seekers there.
It was finally approved when the House of Lords, the upper house of the parliament, ended their objections late on Monday and is expected to be granted royal assent on Tuesday.
Home Secretary James Cleverly said the bill will become law "within days," adding that its passage through the Lords was a "landmark moment in our plan to stop the boats."
Earlier Monday, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said flights to Rwanda will take off within 10 to 12 weeks. "Plans are in place. And these flights will go, come what may," he said.
In April 2022, Britain reached a deal with Rwanda, under which illegal immigrants and asylum seekers would be sent to the East African country to have their claims processed there. If successful, they would be granted permanent residency in Rwanda rather than being allowed to return to Britain.
However, the scheme has met with resistance. The first flight scheduled to take seven migrants to Rwanda in June 2022 was canceled after intervention by the European Court of Human Rights. Britain's Supreme Court ruled in November last year that the government's scheme was unlawful. ■
