London:
An influx of asylum seekers from Britain to Ireland is evidence that London's plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda is having a deterrent effect, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said.
Irish Justice Minister Helen McEntee told a parliamentary committee this week that she estimates that about 80 percent of asylum seekers in her country have crossed the land border with Northern Ireland, which is part of Great Britain.
Sunak told Sky News in a commentary released on Saturday but due to be broadcast on Sunday that it showed his controversial plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda was “already having an impact” as a deterrent.
“Illegal migration is a global challenge and that is why you see several countries talking about partnerships with third countries,” Sunak told Sky News.
“But what I think it also shows is that the deterrent is already having an effect because people are worried about coming here,” he added.
“If people come to our country illegally, but know they cannot stay there, they are much less likely to come. That is why the Rwanda program is so important.”
The Rwanda bill passed its final parliamentary hurdle on Monday, after a marathon battle between the upper and lower chambers of parliament that lasted well into the night.
Sunak hopes the bill will prevent asylum seekers from trying to enter Britain illegally by taking small boats across the Channel from Northern Europe.
Immigration is expected to be a key issue in this year's general election, with Sunak's Tories currently languishing in the polls.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by DailyExpertNews staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)