Immigration Official Announces Crusade Against Late Deportation Halt for Migrant under One-for-One Enforcement Strategy
The British Home Office has announced its intention to appeal a High Court decision that temporarily blocked the deportation of an Eritrean asylum seeker under a pilot scheme with the French government.
The Eritrean man, who alleges he is vulnerable and has a gunshot wound in his leg, was scheduled for a 9am flight on Wednesday. However, Mr. Justice Sheldon granted a short period of interim relief ahead of the scheduled deportation.
The legal challenge was met with a vow from Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood to fight 'vexatious, last-minute claims' at every step. The Home Office argued in court that it was reasonable to expect the Eritrean man to claim asylum in France, as he had previously traveled to Italy before arriving in the UK in August 2025.
The Eritrean man's legal team, however, argued in court that he faces a 'real risk of destitution' if returned to France. They also stressed that he has made representations to the national referral mechanism (NRM), which made a decision regarding his case.
The case is related to the UK government's 'one in, one out' scheme for migrants, which aims to deter small boat crossings. Ministers agreed a pilot scheme with the French government in July, and the first detentions of migrants under the pilot scheme occurred last month. Downing Street expects deportations to begin 'imminently'.
The Home Office's barrister also stated that the agreement between the UK and France pursues an important public objective. They argued that the Eritrean man could have claimed asylum in France, and asylum seekers who are sent back to France under the arrangement may not be accommodated and receive a daily allowance of 7.50 euros.
The decision to block the deportation of the Eritrean man may put pressure on Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer over the migrant returns deal. Ms. Mahmood expressed disapproval of 'last-minute attempts to frustrate a removal' and stated her intention to end such claims. The Home Secretary also pledged to robustly defend the British public's priorities in any court and do whatever it takes to secure the border.
The first removals of migrants to France under the pilot scheme are still expected to go ahead this week. The search results do not provide the name of the judge who issued the temporary injunction to suspend the deportation of the unknown Eritrean before he was to be flown to France the next morning.
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