Ireland Claims UK Rwanda Plan Sends Migrants Across Border

Facts

• Irish Deputy Prime Minister Micheál Martin said Friday that the UK's Rwanda deportation plan, set to begin in 10-12 weeks, has prompted 'fearful' asylum-seeking migrants to cross over into Ireland.¹
• This follows Martin's trip to Jordan on Wednesday, during which he described the Rwanda plan as a 'sort of kneejerk reaction,' arguing that it 'isn't going to really do anything to deal with the issue.'²
• While over 140K immigrants arrived in Ireland up to April 2023, a 16-year high, a reported 80% of recent arrivals have come from Northern Ireland, which is part of the UK.³
• The recent migrants and refugees influx, many of whom are reportedly from Nigeria, comes as Ireland faces a housing crisis, forcing some to sleep in tents.³
• The UK and Ireland have maintained a Common Travel Area that dates back to before either nation was in the EU and reportedly agreed to honor the deal after Brexit.⁴
• The UK's plan to send all migrants who arrived illegally in the country back home will reportedly cost £1.8M ($2.25M) for each of the first 300 deportees.²

Sources: ¹Reuters.com, ²Guardian, ³The Telegraph and ⁴Europeanconservative.

Narratives

• Left narrative, as provided by Independent. The UK's Rwanda plan is not only inhumane and ineffective, but it has now forced an unnecessary surprise influx of asylum seekers into Ireland. The Conservative-run British government has failed for years to handle immigration issues, particularly since it decided to leave the EU, and now it's going to waste billions of dollars just to overwhelm its neighbor.
• Right narrative, as provided by The Telegraph. The Irish government has no right to complain after declaring the UK unsafe for migrants and pushing for open borders between the two countries. It should come as no surprise that illegal migrants are traveling to a country that openly supports illegal migration. Martin should have considered that while his colleagues drew up their immigration policies.