News - World: British refugee charities have accused the Home Office of attempting to deport unaccompanied 16-year-olds to Rwanda in the first wave of asylum seekers to be sent to east Africa.

The charities claimed that asylum seekers under 18 had been classified as adults under Home Office age assessments so they could be eligible for deportation to Rwanda later in the month.

British daily The Guardian cited the charities as saying that they have identified what they describe as a “worrying pattern” of children being classed as adults, raising fears they could be among those deported 4,500 miles to the east African country.

The anti-trafficking charity Love146 UK said several councils had flagged concerns about Home Office age assessments, stating that some children under 18 who had recently arrived by small boat across the Channel were receiving a “standard” age of 23, meaning they became potentially eligible for deportation to Rwanda.

Daniel Sohege, campaigns manager for Love146 UK, said, “We are seeing children as young as 14 being incorrectly age-assessed as 23. The number of children we have seen who have just had 1999 put down as their date of birth when they are clearly under 18 is highly concerning, and putting young people at risk.”

Lauren Starkey, a social worker for the charity, added, “It is not within the realm of possibility that anyone, especially someone trained in child protection, could look at the children we have seen and believe they are in their 20s.”

According to The Guardian, one individual who said they were under 18 was placed in detention awaiting potential deportation to Rwanda and only released at the end of May, following intervention from lawyers.

Another two out of the 70 asylum seekers identified by one charity as having received warnings of imminent removal and currently held in immigration detention centers say they are 16, but their age is contested by the Home Office.

“We’ve got two age disputes but the Home Office has still issued notices of removal,” said Clare Moseley, founder of Care4Calais, which is supporting the group.

Moseley said legal challenges have been launched to help safeguard the “contested” children.

Moreover, reports are emerging that unaccompanied asylum seekers being kept in hotels are going missing because of fears of being sent to Rwanda.

The campaigns manager for Love146 UK told the British daily that staff at one hotel on the south coast housing unaccompanied children had recently called police after hearing reports of three children climbing into a car and being driven away.

Police were able to stop the car and return the youngsters, but the charity said it highlighted the risk of exploitation and trafficking.

“The obvious risks of them being exploited are incalculable and caused directly through government policy,” said Sohege.

Last week, British Home Secretary Priti Patel announced that the first deportation flight to Rwanda would leave on June 14.

Campaigners have raised alarm about access to legal advice and mental health support for people who are told they may be subject to the Rwanda removal policy.

Some say the announcement of the new law is an attempt to divert attention from the "partygate" scandal involving Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

Under a deal, signed off by Patel and praised by Johnson, the migrants and asylum-seekers illegally entering Britain would be sent thousands of miles away to Rwanda.

Johnson has claimed that the deal would stop human smugglers from sending desperate migrants on treacherous journeys across the English Channel.

The UK has promised Rwanda an initial £120 million as part of an “economic transformation and integration fund” but the UK will be paying for operational costs too. However, no further details have been released by the Home Office.

Source: Press TV