Those with no right to be in the UK, who have had an earlier protection or human rights claim refused or withdrawn and are unable to appeal their decision, can now expect to be removed to Rwanda, the government says.

These removals would not take place under the Illegal Migration Act 2023, meaning that the recent Northern Ireland High Court judgment on the legislation will have “no impact” on them, it added.

The Belfast court ruled this week that certain provisions of the 2023 Act constitute a diminution of rights in breach of post-Brexit rules and are incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights.

The UK home secretary James Cleverly said: “Those who have no right to remain in the UK should not be allowed to stay. We have a safe third country ready and waiting to accept people, offer them support across the board and help rebuild their lives.

“We continue to swiftly detain those in line for removal to ensure we have a steady drumbeat of flights to Rwanda.”