Campaigners are calling for the repeal of asylum laws to prevent ‘catastrophes’

The government’s sweeping asylum reforms and plans to send migrants to Rwanda could trigger a “system meltdown” costing taxpayers billions of pounds, campaigners have warned.

The Refugee Council called for a repeal of immigration laws to prevent catastrophe, as it estimates that recent changes to the system could result in public coffers spending up to £17.1 million a day on housing alone – or around £6.2 billion a day. year – deflates.

The charity also suggested that 115,575 asylum seekers could be stranded in a ‘permanent no man’s land’ by the end of 2024.

It comes as Rishi Sunak’s Rwanda Bill formally became law after royal assent, paving the way for deportation flights.

Parliament passed the legislation earlier this week, just hours before news emerged of another tragedy in the Channel, in which five migrants died as they tried to make the journey to Britain.

Under the Illegal Migration Act, which came into force last year, migrants are prohibited from applying for asylum because their cases are deemed ‘inadmissible’ by the government. The law also imposes a duty on the Home Secretary to ensure their removal from the country, although this part of the legislation has yet to be put into effect.

In a report published on Thursday, the Refugee Council said despite this duty: “in reality only a small proportion will ever be transferred to their own country or Rwanda”, adding: “The vast majority will remain in permanent limbo in the UK, stranded because their claims were never processed. They will either be supported indefinitely by the Home Office or risk being exploited.”

Chief executive Enver Solomon said the charity’s calculations point to “the immense cost, chaos and human misery that the Illegal Migration Act and the Rwanda plan will unleash”, adding: “It will lead to another completely avoidable systemic crisis. Instead of operating an effective and fair asylum system, the government has recklessly introduced this misleading legislation without any clear consideration of the staggering costs and long-term consequences.

“Rather than laying the groundwork for the next asylum crisis, any government that wants a fair and efficient asylum system should withdraw the legislation, stop wasting resources on futile efforts and focus on the crucial task of quickly and fair processing of asylum applications.”

Labour’s shadow home secretary, Yvette Cooper, called the government’s asylum policy “a farce”, adding: “With every new law they pass they’re just making the chaos worse” before accusing ministers of being “gimmick over grip”.

The charity took into account the average number of asylum applications and the current cost of housing migrants, among a range of other factors, in its calculations.

The estimates were based on the assumption that the Rwanda plan would be put into practice in July, as the Prime Minister indicated on Monday, but that it would not limit the number of people trying to claim asylum in Britain, as so far there is no evidence that the policy will have the desired deterrent effect.

The analysis also assumes that all provisions of the Illegal Migration Act are in force.

A Home Office spokesperson said: “Before the illegal migration law comes into force, we are removing thousands of illegal migrants to their countries of origin.

“Many of this cohort will be eligible for removal to Rwanda, which is an indefinite scheme, and they can expect removal orders in due course.

“As the Prime Minister outlined this week, flights to Rwanda will start in ten to twelve weeks, providing the deterrent needed to end the criminal exploitation of migrants by the human smuggling gangs.”