High Court Blocks Migrant's Removal Amid Trafficking Claims

A 25-year-old Eritrean asylum seeker won an interim injunction against his removal from the UK to France. London's High Court determined there is a serious issue regarding his trafficking claims. This ruling temporarily halts the UK government's plans under a new pilot scheme aimed at managing asylum arrivals.

In a significant legal development on Tuesday, London's High Court ruled that a 25-year-old Eritrean man, who had arrived in the UK seeking asylum via a small boat, cannot be removed to France pending a full legal evaluation of his trafficking claims.

The decision poses an unexpected challenge to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's strategy to curb small boat crossings, as record numbers of asylum seekers continue to push immigration to the forefront of political discourse in the UK.

Under a new UK-France deal, undocumented arrivals from small boats are to be exchanged for legitimate asylum seekers. However, this ruling could inspire others facing removal to challenge the process, throwing a wrench into efforts to manage illegal immigration and counter rising political opposition.

(With inputs from agencies.)