Eritrean migrant deported under UK's 'one-in, one-out' scheme after High Court bid to block removal

An Eritrean man who arrived in the United Kingdom on a small boat and claimed to be a trafficking victim was deported to France on Friday after losing a High Court bid to block his removal under the government’s “one-in, one-out” scheme.

The migrant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was removed at about 6:15 a.m. local time after a London hearing in which his barristers argued the decision to remove him was procedurally unfair because he had not been given sufficient opportunity to present evidence supporting his claim of trafficking. The Home Office opposed the bid to temporarily block the removal, saying there was “no serious issue to be tried.” In his ruling, Mr Justice Sheldon refused the application for interim relief, stating that the test for injunctive relief was not met and that there was no serious issue to be tried in the case.

The man’s account portrays a difficult journey before reaching the UK. He claimed he was forced to flee Eritrea in 2019 because of conscription, and that his movements took him to Ethiopia, South Sudan and Libya. He then traveled to France, where he stayed in Paris for about a week, saying he was homeless and destitute and lived under constant fear for his life. He then went to Dunkirk and stayed in an encampment known as “the jungle” for roughly three weeks, without seeking asylum in France.

Vans carrying the detainee arrived at the Heathrow detention center in the early hours, and officials informed him that his asylum claim in the UK had been deemed inadmissible on August 9 after he had been detained by the UK Border Force on August 6.

The decision comes amid a separate development the previous day when another Eritrean man successfully sought a temporary block on his deportation after a different hearing before the same judge found there was a “serious issue to be tried” over whether his removal was lawful amid trafficking claims. In that case, the National Referral Mechanism (NRM)—the government framework that identifies and assesses victims of slavery and human trafficking—had found it unlikely that the man had been trafficked, but offered him time to make further representations.

Following Tuesday’s hearing, the Home Office revised its approach to reconsidering modern-slavery decisions: for anyone being removed to a safe country who wants to appeal a NRM finding, the option to do so in the United Kingdom was removed. Instead, they may pursue a legal challenge from another country, such as France, where they are being removed.

The two linked cases illustrate ongoing tension over how trafficking claims are evaluated and how deportations are conducted under the government’s migration-control framework. Supporters of the policy say the measures are necessary to deter illegal crossings and to remove inadmissible entrants; critics argue that the system can overlook vulnerable individuals who may deserve protection. Officials have emphasized that removals under the one-in, one-out scheme are part of a broader aim to manage asylum and irregular migration flows.

The court actions in London highlight the difficulty in balancing rapid removals with careful consideration of trafficking allegations. While one case resulted in a removal after the court found no basis for interim relief, the other indicated there remains room for further investigation into whether trafficking occurred. In both instances, the Home Office indicated it would continue to enforce current procedures while the legal process proceeded.

As the situation unfolds, migrants arriving by small boats continue to face a complex set of legal hurdles, with courts weighing security and humanitarian concerns against government migration policies. The government has maintained that the rules apply equally to all entrants and that the system includes safeguards through the NRM and related asylum processes. Observers say that the latest rulings could influence how future cases are litigated, particularly those involving alleged trafficking victims seeking to stall deportations while claims are evaluated.