Portland: In its most contentious immigration policy to date, which has received harsh criticism from locals and civil rights activists, Britain on Monday started housing migrants on board a barge docked off the coast of southwest England.
After a number of delays, the "Bibby Stockholm," which has been moored off the coast of Dorset for weeks, finally allowed the first of up to 500 young male residents to board.
Some locals, including the island's Conservative MP, have reacted negatively to the decision to dock the ship in Portland, a small island with a population of about 13,600. They claim the location is inappropriate for the job.
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Rights activists have also criticised the policy, claiming that the barge is unfit for its intended use. In recent weeks, protesters from both sides have shown up at the waterfront location.
However, opponents in Britain have pointed out that it had previously been described as a "oppressive environment." Previously, it had been used by Germany and the Netherlands to house the homeless and asylum seekers. Due to safety concerns, the firefighters' union requested an urgent meeting with the interior ministry last week. However, officials have stated that all necessary checks have been completed.
The UK government has insisted that it is appropriate and is working to reduce the cost of housing asylum seekers as a result of an increase in cross-Channel arrivals aboard small boats in recent years.
By the end of March, the backlog in Britain's asylum system had grown to more than 130,000. According to officials, the cost of housing those applicants and other recent migrants has risen to more than £6 million per day as a result of their reliance on hotels and other forms of temporary housing.
The spokesman for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak told reporters on Monday that "the government thinks it is right to find alternatives that are cheaper and more cost effective." "We believe this to be one option."
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Sunak's government is also attempting to discourage immigration through a new "illegal migration" law that was passed last month and forbids all arrivals via the Channel and other "illegal" routes from requesting asylum.
Additionally, it requires their transfer to third nations like Rwanda. However, due to a legal dispute regarding the legitimacy of sending migrants to east Africa, both policies are currently on hold.
The new regulations have been denounced as a "breach of international law" and warned to expose refugees to "grave risks" by the UN agency for refugees.
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According to Sunak's spokesman, the UK leader is still dedicated to his promise to "stop the boats."
According to him, that is the long-term goal of the Rwanda Migration Partnership and the reason why the government has asked for new legal authority.