Ireland Returns First Migrants to the UK Amidst Migration Tensions

Ireland has reportedly sent the first 50 migrants who traveled there from the UK back to Britain. This announcement comes just weeks after UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak declared he would refuse returns from Ireland unless France accepted returns from the UK.

According to reports from various right-wing UK newspapers, citing the Irish Times, two separate groups of 25 migrants were detained by Irish police while crossing the land border from Northern Ireland (part of the United Kingdom) to Ireland (part of Europe) in the last six months. These migrants were subsequently sent back to Britain. The newspapers claimed to have obtained the figures from “official data” without specifying whether that came from Irish or British sources.

Historical Context and Recent Developments

The Irish Times reported on May 4 that Britain had previously agreed to accept the return of around 200 migrants since 2020 when the agreement to accept some returns began between the two nations. However, the accepted migrants had not actually been sent back. Ireland, according to the Irish Times, had agreed to accept around 80 returns.

The two groups making up the 50 migrants, which reportedly included at least three children, were stopped in October and February during two separate four-day operations. They were later returned by ferry to Holyhead on the UK mainland or by train to Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland, also part of the UK.

Special Arrangements Between the UK and Ireland

The admission that the UK may have already accepted migrants and asylum seekers being returned from Ireland complicates the UK government’s stance on refusing any future returns Ireland has promised to make by the end of May.

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has cited the refusal of EU countries like France to accept returns from the United Kingdom since Brexit as a reason to refuse returns from Ireland. His argument is that if Britain cannot return people to Europe, then Europe—in this case, Ireland—should not be allowed to make returns to Britain.

However, due to their history and geographical proximity, Ireland and the UK have long had a closer relationship with special rules and agreements that go beyond the EU-British relationship. There are fewer controls and checks on passengers and goods passing between Ireland and the British Isles. Along with the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, the countries have a kind of border-free Schengen-like arrangement, which allows for freer trade and travel for those with the correct travel documents.

Legal Challenges and Migrant Protections

The news comes just days after a judge at the Northern Irish High Court ruled that some parts of the Illegal Migration Act might have to be disallowed in Northern Ireland because they did not respect the rights of migrants under European law. If enacted, this might make it difficult to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda who had traveled to Northern Ireland. The government in London insists that this will not be the case.

Anecdotally, it seems a number of asylum seekers are hoping that they might be afforded more protection if they travel to Northern Ireland from the UK and perhaps over the land border to Ireland.

The Irish government has been claiming for weeks that many migrants and asylum seekers, many of whom are camping along the banks of a canal in Dublin, have arrived there after traveling from the UK due to fears of being deported to Rwanda. Some claims suggest that 80-90 percent of recent asylum arrivals in Ireland have come across the border from the UK.

Domestic Tensions and Migration Policy

Tensions in Ireland regarding migration are high. The government has struggled to house many of the migrants arriving, leading to the emergence of makeshift camps. There have also been demonstrations and acts of violence against migrants, with some arguing that the government should prioritize helping Irish citizens before assisting new arrivals.

Former Home Secretary Suella Braverman criticized the government in the House of Commons, stating that the Northern Irish High Court’s ruling effectively treats Northern Ireland as part of the EU.

Rwanda Deportation Plans

The Home Office warned that migrants would “still be within the scope of relocation to Rwanda” even if they crossed the Irish Sea to Northern Ireland. The Daily Mail reported that the UK government was advancing with its deportation plans towards Rwanda, with seven immigration removal centers around the country where migrants would be held before departure.

Around 2,100 migrants were on a target list for the first round of deportations. Meanwhile, the Guardian revealed that the Home Office department tasked with handling the Rwanda deportations would experience cuts and recruitment freezes due to government cuts.

The first flights to Rwanda, according to the UK government, are due to take off in the first weeks of July. However, these dates have been disputed and have changed over the past few months, even within the government’s own communications.