London, UK, November 4, 2024 — Khusbu Patel, Acting Executive Director of International Rescue Committee UK, says,
“We all want to see an end to desperate people becoming victims of smugglers and criminal networks, but the government’s approach announced today is not the solution.
Without more safe and orderly routes for those seeking refugee protection, vulnerable people will continue to lack alternative ways to reach access protection in the UK, leaving them at risk of exploitation. Efforts to stop these gangs must not come at the expense of our duty to protect those who need it most - people fleeing conflict and persecution.
We welcome the government’s pledge to rebuild and invest in the broken asylum system. But this will only save lives and reduce dangerous Channel crossings when coupled with expanded safe routes. Any strategy that ignores the root causes driving people to seek help from smugglers, and our international obligations to protect them, will ultimately fall short.
We urge the government to strengthen its commitment to the UK Resettlement Scheme, expand family reunion and pilot a refugee visa. These measures would provide alternatives to dangerous journeys, and allow the UK to support those whose lives have been devastated by conflict and crisis."