On May 13, 2024, the High Court in Belfast ruled that sections of the UK's Illegal Migration Act should be "disapplied" in Northern Ireland because they undermine human rights laws as stipulated in the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement and the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). This decision was a setback to the government's plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda, a scheme intended to deter illegal migration, particularly across the English Channel.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak responded to the ruling by affirming that the judgment would not affect the operational plans or legality of the forthcoming deportations to Rwanda. Sunak highlighted plans to continue preparations for the intended deportations in July 2024 and stated intentions to appeal the court's decision.
The ruling was the outcome of legal challenges, including one from a 16-year-old Iranian asylum seeker who argued that deportation would endanger his life, reflecting broader concerns about human rights protections for asylum seekers under the new legislation.
Despite the court's decision, the UK government remained committed to implementing its migration policies, indicating a complex ongoing legal and political dispute over the handling of asylum procedures and international human rights obligations in Northern Ireland.