UK sends first asylum seeker to Rwanda under controversial migration law: British media

Britain has sent a first asylum seeker to Rwanda as part of a controversial but voluntary scheme for irregular migrants whose applications have been rejected, British media reported on Tuesday.

The British government last week adopted a highly-criticised law allowing for irregular migrants to be deported to Rwanda.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's government plans to begin the expulsions by July.

But the man who left the UK on Monday had agreed to be sent to Kigali following his asylum rejection at the end of last year, several media said.

The African national left on a commercial flight, media said.

In exchange for his agreement to leave Britain, he is due to receive up to £3,000 ($3,750), according to government sources quoted by the Times newspaper.

Contacted by AFP, the British Home Office did not confirm the reports.

"We are now able to send asylum seekers to Rwanda under our migration and economic development partnership," a government spokesperson said.

"This deal allows people with no immigration status in the UK to be relocated to a safe third country where they will be supported to rebuild their lives."

The British government on Tuesday said it expects to deport 5,700 migrants to Rwanda this year in the scheme aimed at deterring migrant arrivals on small boats from northern Europe.

More than 57,000 people arrived on small boats after trying to cross the Channel between January 2022 and June last year, according to official statistics.