Sunak alleges that stopping the migratory flow in the English Channel is a "priority" for the British

The UN considers that it is a "clear violation" of the Refugee Convention

MADRID, 8 Mar. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Rishi Sunak, has defended the immigration reform proposed by his Government before the House of Commons, assuring that stopping the flow of small boats in the English Channel is a "priority" for British citizens and that does not imply any violation of International Law.

"Stopping my ships is not only my priority, it is also the priority of the people," said Sunak, a day after his Interior Minister, Suella Braverman, announced a controversial initiative that will expedite the deportations of those who arrive irregularly and will prevent them from applying for citizenship in the future.

This plan also contemplates deportations to "safe third countries", for example Rwanda, with which the UK authorities reached an agreement to take charge of migrants rejected on British soil.

Labor Party leader Keir Starmer has scolded Sunak for trying to patch up a system that is "broken" and has criticized the delays that already exist today in resolving asylum claims.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has warned in a statement that the measure put on the table by the UK Government "would entail a clear violation of the Convention on the Status of Refugees", therefore who has called for "more humane and practical political solutions" to possible challenges.

The United Nations fears punishment for those who really need international protection. "Most people fleeing war and persecution simply cannot access the required passports and visas. There are no safe and 'legal' routes for them," the agency lamented.

The main objective of the Executive is to stop the migratory flow in the English Channel, to which more than 45,000 arrivals were attributed in 2022. At least 44 people died in this area last year, while at least 13 have already died this year, according to data from the International Organization for Migration (IOM).