THE Home Secretary has blasted migrants for making “a mockery of our laws” as Britain’s flagship returns deal with France descended into farce.
A third deportation flight to Paris left Heathrow with no migrants on board after last-minute slavery claims stalled removals yet again.
GettyHome Secretary Shabana Mahmood[/caption]
GettyThe first removals of migrants to France under the pilot scheme are still expected to go ahead this week[/caption]
It came despite ministers insisting that a High Court ruling — which temporarily blocked the deportation of a 25-year-old Eritrean man on Tuesday — would not stop other removals under Sir Keir Starmer’s one-in, one-out pact with Emmanuel Macron.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood raged at the hold-ups, insisting she will fight to end all “vexatious, last-minute claims”.
She said: “Last minute attempts to frustrate a removal are intolerable, and I will fight them at every step.
“Migrants suddenly deciding that they are a modern slave on the eve of their removal, having never made such a claim before, make a mockery of our laws and this country’s generosity.
“I will fight to end vexatious, last-minute claims.
“I will robustly defend the British public’s priorities in any court. And I will do whatever it takes to secure our border.”
Her blast comes amid growing anger in government that the Modern Slavery Act, designed to protect genuine victims of human trafficking, is being abused by Channel migrants as a last-ditch tactic to delay deportation.
Officials say claims are often lodged at the eleventh hour, automatically triggering pauses in removal flights while courts demand they are investigated.
Tuesday’s flight was scuppered after a High Court judge handed the Eritrean man 14 days to submit evidence backing his claim that he was trafficked.
The case turned into chaos when Home Office lawyers changed their legal position halfway through the hearing.
For most of the case, barrister Kate Grange KC had insisted the migrant could file evidence after deportation but she abruptly reversed her stance after receiving an email from the National Referral Mechanism — the Home Office body that handles slavery claims — contradicting her argument.
The latest fiasco means not a single migrant has yet been deported under the deal with France.
But the first arrivals from across the Channel are still due to land in Britain on Saturday under the reciprocal part of the agreement.
Home Office officials are confident the first removals will take place this week.
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