Explained | The U.K.’s plan to relocate asylum seekers to Rwanda

The story so far: British Home Secretary Priti Patel visited Kigali, the capital of Rwanda, on Thursday, April 14, to sign what both countries have described as an “economic development partnership”, which will bring in force an arrangement to send asylum seekers “unofficially” arriving in the U.K. through the English Channel to Rwanda. Ms. Patel, who signed the deal in Kigali on April 14 in the presence of the Rwandan Foreign Minister Vincent Biruta, put out a video on Twitter calling the deal a “world-leading migration partnership” that can see those arriving “illegally to the U.K. by dangerous methods” relocated to Rwanda to have their claims for asylum considered; and if granted refugee status, “to build their lives there”. At the time of signing the deal, Ms. Patel stated: “those who are resettled will be given the support, including upto five years of training with help of integration, accommodation, so that they can resettle and thrive.” Mr. Biruta said the agreement “is about ensuring that people are protected, respected, and empowered to further their own ambitions and settle permanently in Rwanda if they choose.” He added that the country already hosts more than 130,000 refugees from countries including Burundi, Congo, Libya and Pakistan. Mr. Johnson echoed this, saying that those “who tried to jump the queue or abuse our system will find no automatic path to settlement in our country but rather be swiftly and humanely removed to a safe third country or their country of origin.” In the recent past, the administration has made multiple proposals to prevent English Channel crossings, from installing a “giant wave machine” to repel boats, to sending migrants to places including the remote Ascension Island, Albania and Gibraltar, which refused to accept such plans.