British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s controversial plan to deport migrants to Rwanda finally received approval from Parliament in a landmark decision early Tuesday. The legislation faced stiff opposition and court challenges, with critics claiming it to be illegal and inhumane. Despite the approval, further legal obstacles and deportations are still in question.

The long-standing legislative stalemate finally ended as the unelected House of Lords recognized the elected House of Commons’ authority, subsequently dropping the last of its proposed amendments. With the bill now transforming into law, Sunak can move forward with his plan to tackle the influx of migrants by initiating deportation flights from July.

Migrant advocates are vowing to continue opposing the plan, as it faces challenges in court. Tim Bale, a politics professor at Queen Mary University of London, predicts further legal roadblocks to hamper the deportation flights, even with parliamentary approval.

British PM Rishi Sunak holds a strong stance on the deportation flights, making it a central premise of his political future. Current opinion polls indicate his Conservative Party is trailing behind the Opposition Labour Party ahead of the upcoming general election. The outcome of next week’s local elections is expected to gauge the parties’ performance in the nationwide contest.

The issue of small boat crossings holds immense political significance in Britain, exposing the government’s perceived failure in controlling immigration. The numbers of migrants arriving in Britain via these routes have substantially surged in recent years, reaching 45,774 in 2022. To curb these inflows, the government has cracked down on people smugglers and struck an agreement to repatriate Albanians, resulting in a decrease to 29,437 arrivals in the past year.

Sunak, despite acknowledging the delay in meeting his original deadlines, blamed the Opposition Labour Party for resisting the deportation flights. The government has made necessary preparations, including chartering planes, augmenting detention spaces, employing more immigration caseworkers, and accommodating the appeal process through court arrangements. Furthermore, Sunak asserted the government’s readiness to proceed with the deportations, interjecting that no foreign court would impede the flights.

In response to a Supreme Court decision which blocked deportation flights due to concerns over migrants’ safety in Rwanda, the government has formulated the Safety of Rwanda Bill. The bill has undergone a series of setbacks in the British legislative system, with the House of Lords offering repeated amendments that were ultimately rejected by the House of Commons. Critics of the government’s approach refrained from revealing their next course of action, emphasizing the importance of human lives in this debate.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak secured Parliament’s approval for his controversial migrants-to-Rwanda plan after a protracted legislative journey. While the plan still faces potential legal challenges, Sunak’s determination remains firm, driven by the promise to “stop the boats” and his party’s ambitions for electoral success. The outcome of upcoming local elections is eagerly awaited, as it affords an indication of the public sentiment surrounding the migration issue.