UN says UK draft law amounts to 'asylum ban'

A British draft law unveiled Tuesday aimed at stopping migrants entering illegally on small boats will amount to an asylum ban, the UN warned, calling for "more humane" solutions instead.

The United Nations refugee agency said it was "profoundly concerned" by plans that would give the British interior minister a new legal duty to deport all migrants entering illegally, such as those crossing the Channel from France in inflatable boats.

"The legislation, if passed, would amount to an asylum ban -- extinguishing the right to seek refugee protection in the United Kingdom for those who arrive irregularly, no matter how genuine and compelling their claim may be, and with no consideration of their individual circumstances," UNHCR said in a statement.

The bill would deny protection to asylum-seekers who needed safety and would "even deny them the opportunity to put forward their case. This would be a clear breach of the Refugee Convention".

"Most people fleeing war and persecution are simply unable to access the required passports and visas. There are no safe and 'legal' routes available to them," UNHCR said.

"Denying them access to asylum on this basis undermines the very purpose for which the Refugee Convention was established."

UNHCR said that based on the British interior ministry's most recent data, the vast majority of those arriving in Britain in small boats over the Channel would be accepted as refugees if their claims were assessed.

"Branding refugees as undeserving based on mode of arrival distorts these fundamental facts," it said.

UNHCR said it had presented London with solid, actionable proposals for fast, fair and efficient case processing and would work with Britain to expand safe, regular pathways for refugees to reach the UK, but said these were limited and "can never substitute for access to asylum".

The Geneva-based agency urged the British government and all parliamentarians "to reconsider the bill and instead pursue more humane and practical policy solutions".