Migrants Challenge UK Government's Deportation Policy in High Court

Six migrants, including three who have already been deported to France, have brought legal challenges against the UK government in the High Court. They claim to be victims of human trafficking and argue that the treatment under the Home Secretary's one-in, one-out deal with France is unlawful.

The challenges assert that the policy breaches the European Convention on Human Rights and the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking.

the Home Secretary altered guidance on modern slavery to facilitate faster deportations as part of the deal. The previous rules allowed migrants whose claims were rejected by the Home Office to appeal before deportation from Britain. Under the new guidance, they must apply for support after arriving in France.

Sam Grodzinski KC, representing the migrants, stated that the changes demonstrate an institutional disregard for potentially relevant evidence in identifying trafficking victims. He cited Home Office data from last year showing that nearly 80 percent of modern slavery claim rejections were overturned.

Grodzinski also noted that migrants often do not provide their full trafficking history upon arrival due to lack of understanding of the questions.

The Home Office stated that in exceptional cases, migrants can apply for reconsideration before deportation. However, Grodzinski argued to Justice Sheldon that this option is not clearly communicated to caseworkers and is typically used only when legal action is threatened.

Last month, the Home Secretary's overhaul of the asylum system prompted a letter from around 100 Labour backbenchers urging reconsideration.