In early May 2025, Rwanda’s foreign minister announced that discussions were underway with the Trump administration about a deal to accept migrants deported from the U.S. This announcement echoes the UK’s past, where the government engaged in a costly and largely ineffective effort to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda, starting in 2022. Despite the significant financial outlay, the initiative faltered due to legal challenges and a lack of successful deportations.
During the course of the UK’s attempt, the government invested approximately £715 million—around $955 million—into the plan with the expectation that it would deter illegal migration. Among these costs, £290 million was earmarked for direct payments to the Rwandan government, while the remainder was allocated for logistical preparations such as deportation flights, legal expenses, and operational systems.
However, the outcome of these efforts was disappointing; only four migrants were forcibly sent to Rwanda, and those individuals received £3,000 each to leave voluntarily. Official reports indicate that these figures suggest that the true financial implications could have been far greater had the plan been executed fully, which involved substantial payments to Rwanda for each deportee, while also covering the long-term integration services for those individuals.
Interestingly, after the UK’s highest court deemed the plan incompatible with human rights laws, the subsequent Conservative administration attempted to introduce new legislation to circumvent the court’s ruling. Nonetheless, the new Labour government, elected last year, ultimately annulled the initiative, citing both its prohibitive costs and its unfeasibility as key reasons for its cancellation.
As the Trump administration considers a similar path, the lessons learned from Britain’s ordeal could serve as a critical reminder of the potential repercussions of such policies and their effects on both immigrant communities and governmental finances.
During the course of the UK’s attempt, the government invested approximately £715 million—around $955 million—into the plan with the expectation that it would deter illegal migration. Among these costs, £290 million was earmarked for direct payments to the Rwandan government, while the remainder was allocated for logistical preparations such as deportation flights, legal expenses, and operational systems.
However, the outcome of these efforts was disappointing; only four migrants were forcibly sent to Rwanda, and those individuals received £3,000 each to leave voluntarily. Official reports indicate that these figures suggest that the true financial implications could have been far greater had the plan been executed fully, which involved substantial payments to Rwanda for each deportee, while also covering the long-term integration services for those individuals.
Interestingly, after the UK’s highest court deemed the plan incompatible with human rights laws, the subsequent Conservative administration attempted to introduce new legislation to circumvent the court’s ruling. Nonetheless, the new Labour government, elected last year, ultimately annulled the initiative, citing both its prohibitive costs and its unfeasibility as key reasons for its cancellation.
As the Trump administration considers a similar path, the lessons learned from Britain’s ordeal could serve as a critical reminder of the potential repercussions of such policies and their effects on both immigrant communities and governmental finances.
