Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who served from 2019 to 2022, has urged the British government to reinstate the Rwanda migrant deportation plan instead of pursuing the newly proposed digital ID system aimed at addressing illegal immigration.
The government led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced plans to introduce digital identification cards for residents, starting with children aged 13, as part of efforts to curb illegal immigration and improve migration control mechanisms.
According to Starmer’s administration, the digital IDs will contain detailed information about individuals living in the UK, allowing authorities, employers, and landlords to easily distinguish between those who are legally residing in the country and those who are not.
This initiative comes after other measures such as strengthening border security with advanced technology and pursuing smugglers who facilitate illegal crossings failed to produce significant results.
Speaking to GB News, Boris Johnson criticized the digital ID proposal, saying it would be costly and ineffective in tackling the growing number of undocumented migrants entering the UK.
When asked what he believed to be a better solution, Johnson replied that reviving the Rwanda deportation scheme would be far more effective. He argued that such a policy would have deterred the thousands of migrants who continue to cross the English Channel in small boats.
Using a football metaphor, Johnson remarked, “If we had the Rwanda plan in place, it wouldn’t have let them score a goal. You’d simply return the ball.”
The Rwanda migration partnership, signed in April 2022 under Boris Johnson’s government, sought to relocate asylum seekers arriving illegally in the UK to Rwanda, where their claims would be processed. In return, Rwanda would receive financial support to accommodate and integrate them.
However, the plan faced strong opposition and legal challenges. The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) intervened in June 2022, halting the first scheduled deportation flight after various human rights organizations filed complaints.
Both governments later revised and reaffirmed the agreement in late 2023, addressing previous concerns and securing approval from their respective parliaments.
When Keir Starmer became Prime Minister in July 2024, he suspended the deal, arguing that it was neither practical nor effective in stopping illegal migration.
Official statistics from the UK government indicate that 29,437 undocumented migrants entered the country in 2023, rising to 43,640 in 2024. Between January and September 29, 2025, 33,556 have already arrived.
Justinmind HARERIMANA
