CAFOD has responded to the decision of the Supreme Court to uphold the Court of Appeal ruling that the Home Office’s plans to send asylum seekers to Rwanda is unlawful.
We must build bridges, not walls
Aisha Dodwell, the head of campaigns for the official aid agency of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, CAFOD, said:
“Today's ruling makes clear that we have a moral and legal duty to care for migrants and refugees. The Rwanda plan was a cruel attempt to turn away people who are seeking protection.
“We urgently need to transform the way migrants are treated. In the absence of safe and legal routes, thousands of people die each year as they are forced to take dangerous journeys to reach safety.
“As Pope Francis tells us, we must welcome people without prejudice and focus on building bridges and not walls.”
Notes to editors
For more information and interviews please contact:
Laura Ouseley on laura.ouseley@cafod.org.uk, +44 (0)7909 875956
Sarah Baldwin on sbaldwin@cafod.org.uk +44 (0)7776 211518
CAFOD’s 24-hour media hotline on +44 (0)7919 301429
CAFOD is the official aid agency of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, and part of Caritas International. It works with communities across Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East to fight poverty and injustice. The agency works with people in need regardless of race, gender, religion or nationality.
Open letter to the Prime Minister: ‘Build bridges, not walls’
Pope Francis has called on world leaders to “build bridges, not walls” and show compassion for those fleeing their homes, whether it’s because of war, persecution or poverty.
Instead, the government's Illegal Migration Act will effectively shut the door on people needing protection and deport them to countries such as Rwanda.