A recent High Court ruling has temporarily prevented the removal of an Eritrean man from the United Kingdom to France. The individual, who arrived in the UK via a small boat, successfully challenged the Home Office’s decision to transfer him under what has been referred to as a “one in, one out” arrangement. Legal documents filed at the High Court indicate the man left Ethiopia two years prior and subsequently arrived in Italy in April.
The Home Office’s arguments included that the man could have claimed asylum in France and had presented no evidence to suggest France was an unsafe country. Officials also asserted that he should have claimed asylum in Italy, as he was reportedly not under the control of trafficking gangs upon his arrival there.
Conversely, Sonali Naik KC, representing the man, argued that the Home Office had not yet assessed whether her client was a victim of trafficking. Furthermore, she stated that there had been no evaluation of whether his transfer to France would leave him destitute. The court’s decision grants a temporary block on his removal pending further review of these issues.
Source: www.bbc.com