July 4th 2023.
Immigration minister Robert Jenrick has come under fire for his alleged request to remove children's artwork from an asylum reception centre. The Refugee Council's CEO Enver Solomon said the Minister asked for the paintings of cartoons and animals to be taken down at the Kent asylum intake unit earlier this year and that welcome signs should be removed to make it clear the centre was a 'law enforcement environment'.
Enver Solomon said that the paintings were put up to make children feel more at ease and that the 'hostile environment' has become so entrenched that 'we have lost sight of humanity'.
The revelation comes amidst a record-breaking number of Channel crossings, reaching 11,000 in June. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had previously promised to 'stop the boats', but his controversial Rwanda deportation scheme was recently ruled unlawful by three High Court judges.
In the judgment, Sir Geoffrey Vos said there were ‘substantial grounds’ to think that asylum seekers faced ‘real risks’ of torture or inhuman treatment, or that their claims for asylum would not be properly determined in Rwanda. Mr Sunak responded by issuing a statement, saying he disagreed with the court's conclusion and that he 'will do whatever is necessary to make sure that it is this country - and your government - who should decide who comes here, not criminal gangs'.
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