The Home Office has denounced individuals who deceitfully try to deceive others by falsely offering assistance with traveling to Rwanda in exchange for a £3,000 payment from the government.
The recent scheme being reported has dealt another setback to the government’s intention to transfer refugees to Rwanda.
The primary plan is to forcefully relocate certain asylum seekers to Rwanda, who have arrived in the UK through unconventional methods, such as traveling on small boats.
The Times reported on Tuesday about a second scheme in Rwanda which was later announced by the government. This program is aimed at refused asylum seekers and is voluntary. The Home Office is providing incentive payments of £3,000 to persuade this group to relocate to Rwanda. On Tuesday, asylum seekers began receiving calls from Home Office officials asking them to go to Rwanda, causing panic and some feeling like they had no other option but to board a plane.
There was a recent development indicating that criminals are targeting the new voluntary program in Rwanda. Migrant Help, a charitable organization that operates a free helpline for asylum seekers on behalf of the government, posted a tweet in response to this issue. They warned that individuals are receiving fraudulent calls posing as Migrant Help and offering voluntary return to Rwanda. These calls are made from a number that is kept hidden by the caller. It is important to note that these calls are not legitimate and are a scam.
Sonia Lenegan, an attorney specializing in immigration law, expressed worries about the alleged fraudulent activity.
After Migrant Help released their statement, she made a post on X, stating, “It is even more crucial for this to be communicated through written means instead of over the phone.” She also questioned, “How did they obtain these phone numbers?”
Conservative MPs on the right of the party, including former immigration minister Robert Jenrick, and immigration lawyers have expressed criticism for the voluntary Rwanda scheme, citing concerns.
According to Tom Nunn, the legal director of South Yorkshire Refugee Law and Justice charity, one of their clients who has been denied asylum received a legitimate call from the Home Office this week asking if they wanted to go to Rwanda. Nunn stated, “We have already had multiple clients contacting us in a state of panic, and we have had to assure them that the decision is from their own free will.”
Nunn expressed worry for individuals struggling with mental health problems who may experience discomfort due to the phone calls.
Jenrick wrote on X: “Symbolic flights of people being paid to leave isn’t a strategy to stop the boats and end this national security emergency. If the reports are accurate, these voluntary returns would consume Rwanda’s finite resources, and so actually make the swift, enforced removal of small boat arrivals that are required to establish the intended deterrent effect much harder.”
“Illegal actions of trying to deceive people based on our voluntary return program are strongly condemned by the Home Office spokesperson. In most cases, individuals will not receive calls from hidden numbers. Those interested in participating in the voluntary return scheme for Rwanda will be provided with necessary documents and are encouraged to seek legal guidance.”
Source: theguardian.com
