- Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby warned against the potential damage of the UK's new migration bill
- The religious leader said that the proposal would not be able to achieve its goal of stopping small boat crossings
- Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick urged support for the bill, defending the policies of the proposed legislation
Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby criticized the United Kingdom's new migration bill, saying that the plans risk "great damage" to the region's reputation.
The religious leader warned that the new proposal, the Illegal Migration Bill, will not be able to stop small boat crossings in the region. He added that it failed in "our moral responsibility" towards refugees."
Archbishop of Canterbury Criticized New Migration Bill
Welby spoke as the bill began what many expect to be a tumultuous passage through the UK's House of Lords. On the other hand, Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick argued that peers should support the legislation.
Jenrick added that Welby was wrong in his criticism of the bill, saying that there was nothing moral about letting the trade of people smugglers continue happening. As per BBC, the lawmaker said that he wanted such incidents to stop, arguing that the bill was the only way to achieve such an objective.
The lawmaker added that the people who did not like the bill, which include opposition parties, have yet to suggest any alternatives to address the surge of crossings across the Channel. On the other hand, Welby's intervention was made during a lengthy and highly charged debate centered on the bill.
The Illegal Migration Bill passed its first parliamentary obstacle in the Lords after a Liberal Democrat who tried to block it was rejected by 179 votes to 76. The bill is a key part of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's plan to prevent small boats from crossing the English Channel and was revealed in March.
The bill would place a legal duty on the home secretary to detain and remove the travelers arriving illegally in the UK, Rwanda, or another "safe" third country. The reveal of the bill caused outrage across opposition parties and charities who argued that it is unworkable and could result in a breach of international law.
Potentially Breaching International Law
The region's conservative government argues that the bill would deter tens of thousands of people from attempting to cross the English Channel. According to the Associated Press, Welby claimed that international protections for refugees were something other than inconvenient obstructions that lawmakers could circumvent through legislative means.
The migration bill also includes provisions limiting the capability of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) to prevent the deportation of asylum seekers from the region. Critics have also argued that the legislation threatens modern slavery protections.
Welby argued that the bill failed to look at the long term and did not take a strategic view of migration's challenges. He added that it undermines international cooperation instead of allowing the UK to highlight its leadership capabilities to other regions.
The religious leader claims that the bill is isolationist and politically impractical because it lets the poorest countries deal with the migrant crisis alone and also cuts international aid, said the Independent.
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