As far back as 2022, officials from the Department of Justice raised concerns that the UK’s intention to expel asylum seekers to Rwanda could cause them to consider other options such as Ireland. This was disclosed to the Deportation Minister, Helen McEntee, giving her insight that despite the UK’s Rwanda policy being entangled with legal proceedings, its implications might affect additional countries. The idea of their removal to Rwanda could prompt migrants to divert their path and view Ireland as a more favourable choice or a medium for establishing permanent residency in the UK in the future.
The brief, drafted in 2022 while the department evaluated the discontinuation of the Covid-19 moratorium on expatriations, expressed that Ireland’s situation was linked to the decisions the UK made on immigration. It discusses the legalities engulfing the initial transfer of refugees from the UK to Rwanda. In spite of the uncertainties revolving around the UK’s widely criticized strategy of delegating its immigration processing to Rwanda, the possibility of being sent to Rwanda might prompt migrants to look for other options.
The brief suggests that if the UK succeeds in deterring immigrant arrivals, neighbouring countries will also be affected. It suggested that “Ireland may ultimately be viewed as a desirable option, or a means to gain access to the UK through Irish citizenship and the Common Travel Area in the future. This wouldn’t be an unknown occurrence,” as stated in the brief.
The concerns raised about the Rwanda scheme have felt more urgent as Justice Minister Helen McEntee discloses that a minimum of 80 per cent of migrants are infiltrating Ireland through the Northern Ireland border amidst heated discussions with the UK about immigration.
There was also a discussion in the brief about the complicated nature of deportations, particularly in cases involving severe crimes. It clarified that only deportations that were enforced during the pandemic were for individuals considered to pose a substantial risk to public safety. However, these were rare and could still be halted if the individual lodged a late application for international protection.
Authorities stated that certain individuals, who have resided in this nation for an extended period and have never applied for legal status until facing expulsion, have now filed applications. From a public safety point of view, the officials expressed it is not advisable that individuals with severe criminal history or those deemed appropriate for expulsion to remain free in this nation for extended periods while potentially frivolous applications are being processed.
The briefing mentioned additional challenges arising from specific countries’ reluctance to repatriate their citizens due to issues related to the pandemic, administrative inefficiency, or sheer refusal to cooperate. These countries, interestingly, are the recipients of visas for their nationals from Ireland, raising questions of mutual respect and reciprocity.
The freeze on expulsions has resulted in another issue, in which older deportation orders – signed before the Covid-19 crisis – may not be as concrete and could face legal contest. The briefing noted that circumstances change over time. Someone deemed appropriate for expulsion a few years ago might now, for example, be wed to an Irish national or have children born in Ireland.
Moreover, there were doubts about some people who are still under older expulsion orders actually living in the country. It was added in the briefing that without exit control, Ireland is not capable of identifying who has left the country.