Church welcomes asylum court ruling

The Church has welcomed a court ruling which decided plans to send asylum seekers to Rwanda are unlawful.

Emma Jackson, vice-convener of the Faith Action Programme Leadership Team, said: "We warmly welcome the outcome of the Court of Appeal ruling that says that the Rwanda deportation policy is unlawful.

"The Church has consistently argued that the plans were unacceptable in the way they treated individuals, removing their rights and robbed them of their humanity.

"The UK Government must now urgently rethink its Illegal Migration Bill and its whole approach to reforming the broken asylum system.

"Time and again it has proved to be cruel, unlawful, expensive and ultimately ineffective in delivering the aims of reducing irregular migration.

"We urge the UK Government work with refugees, the Church and the wider sector to create an asylum system that is compassionate, effective and fair.

"As Christians, we believe in welcoming the stranger, we are all made in God's image and Jesus himself was a refugee.

"The Church supports the restoration of the UK's international aid budget to 0.7% of government spending and the establishment of safe and legal routes for people seeking sanctuary in the UK.

"The ban on asylum seekers, whose claim has not been determined after six months, being allowed to work must be lifted so they can contribute to our economy and we must only use detention for immigration purposes as a last resort."