The UK will introduce a trial 12-month test period of electronic tagging for migrants arriving on the Island in a “dangerous and unnecessary way”. Critics of the measure point to the criminalization of people in need.
As reported by the BBC, the first group of refugees will be determined not to be deported back to Rwanda, but will be able to remain in the area of England and Wales.
The British Home Office has said it will check whether electronic tagging helps maintain public order and peace, as well as facilitate communication with asylum seekers, who will know where they are at all times. This is also supposed to provide information on how many refugees are actually fleeing.
It is not clear at this time who the British authorities will label as such, but it is clear that there will be no pregnant women or children among these people.
Anyone with an electronic tag will be subjected to curfew, and if they do not meet the conditions for an asylum seeker, they will be able to return to custody or even be prosecuted. They will also have to report regularly to the police station or immigration center.
As the BBC points out, the competent authorities will have to consider whether such a device could seriously harm human physical and mental health or whether they have been victims of torture or modern-day slavery.
This year alone, there have been 11,000 illegal border crossings between the UK and France, compared to just under 30,000 last year.
The idea of the government is to put more pressure on asylum seekers, and humanitarian groups warn that in this way the government will only do more harm to already vulnerable social groups.
Source: Rtvslo
