Asylum-seeking families with children could face removal from UK to Rwanda

Families with children seeking asylum in the UK are being considered for forced removal to Rwanda, according to a Home Office minister.

Immigration minister Robert Jenrick told an evidence session at parliaments women and equalities committee on Wednesday that, while there were no plans to remove unaccompanied child asylum seekers to the east African country, families with children are being considered for removal.

Jenrick said that, while a final decision had not been reached, officials were worried that ruling out a particular group such as families could encourage traffickers to focus on smuggling families rather than single males.

Theres not necessarily a bar to families being removed to Rwanda, said Jenrick.

The committee heard that so far just 3.5% of those who have received a Home Office notice of intent that they may be removed to Rwanda are women and no women have so far received removal directions for Rwanda.

Enforced removals of families to other countries happen rarely, according to Dan Hobbs, Home Office director of asylum, protection and enforcement, who also gave evidence to the committee. However, the aim of the Rwanda policy is to forcibly remove those targeted by the Home Office.