UK to pay for French officers to deport asylum seekers from war-torn countries

"Jo Cobley, the chief executive of Safe Passage International, said it was disgraceful and unlawful to deport people to unsafe countries. With no accessible safe routes and the government's suspension of refugee family reunion, the only way to reach the UK to ask for protection is across the Channel."

"Punishing people with detention, deportation threats and police violence does not change that. It's disgraceful, and unlawful, to return people to active war zones or where they face persecution, in countries like Afghanistan, Sudan and Iran."

The UK and France have reached a deal to address Channel crossings by funding 200 French officers to detain and deport asylum seekers from ten specific countries. A removal site in Dunkirk will be established for individuals from Eritrea, Afghanistan, Iran, Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia, Iraq, Syria, Vietnam, and Yemen. This initiative is part of a larger £162 million package aimed at preventing small boat crossings, alongside a £500 million baseline deal for enhanced enforcement in northern France. Critics argue that deporting individuals to unsafe countries is unlawful.

Read at www.theguardian.com